November 6, 2026 NEW YORK, NY A terrifying double homicide has left an East Harlem community in shock after a 66-year-old senior citizen and his 55-year-old home health aide were both found shot dead inside an apartment on Thursday evening.
Detectives from the 23rd Precinct and NYPD Housing Police Service Area 5 (PSA 5) are working around the clock to determine a motive and identify the killer responsible for the execution-style slayings.
The Discovery: Bullet Wounds to the Head
The grim scene was uncovered at approximately 8:35 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, inside a unit at 2029 2nd Avenue in East Harlem.
Officers dispatched to the residence following a 911 call regarding a reported assault forced entry into the apartment and discovered two victims suffering from catastrophic head wounds:
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Wilgen Elias Severino-Tatis, 66: The resident of the apartment, found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head.
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Elsa Espina-Espinal, 55: A resident of Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx, believed to be Severino-Tatis' home health attendant, also found with a gunshot wound to the head.
Emergency personnel pronounced both victims dead at the scene.
No Suspects, No Weapon: Detectives Search for Answers
As of Friday, NYPD investigators have not recovered a firearm at the scene and have not released a suspect description.
Investigative Breakdown:
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Motive: Currently unknown. Detectives are reviewing building security footage and interviewing neighbors to determine if the killer was known to either victim or if forced entry was involved.
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Weapon: No firearms or shell casings have been publicly identified or recovered on-site.
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Arrests: No suspects are in custody as of Friday afternoon.
A Rare Surge in Violence for the 23rd Precinct
The double murder marks a sudden spike in fatal violence for the surrounding neighborhood. Prior to Thursday's shooting, NYPD crime statistics showed that the 23rd Precinct had recorded only one homicide year-to-date through November 1.
