A 16-year-old housemate fatally stabbed a 24-year-old man renting a room in a Queens home during a clash over loud music early Sunday, according to police sources.
Police report that around 6:05 a.m., someone stabbed Byron Lema Naula in the neck in a house on 35th Ave. near 102nd St. in Corona.
Lema Naula was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital Center by medics, but unfortunately, his life could not be saved.
The boy was arrested by the police and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Due to being underage, his name was not released.
According to police sources, there was a clash between the teenager and Lema Naula, who both reside in the building. The incident involved loud music and banging. Authorities subsequently found a knife at the scene.
According to the neighbors, the house frequently sees a turnover of new tenants, with people constantly moving in and out. Additionally, the residents of the house are known to host weekend barbecues on a regular basis.
“There’s a lot of people going in and out, lot of new faces,” said a 45-year-old neighbor who gave his name as Joe. “They were on the younger side, liked to party.”
According to Devin Chan, 30, the house, which is owned by his aunt, is described as “peaceful.”
“They rent that place out,” he said of his family. “It’s a normal house, two-family house … I want to know what happened…. It’s been peaceful.”
Luis Istambay, a neighbor, mentioned that he has never come across any issues with the victim.
“He’s a really friendly guy,” he said about Lema Naula. “He always greets you with a warm hello and bids you farewell with a friendly goodbye.”
According to NYPD statistics, this is the first homicide in Queens’ 115th Precinct this year. In 2024, there were four slayings recorded in the same precinct.
