The husband of a murdered Brooklyn woman, who was arrested by police with the help of the victim’s son, hit her on the back of the head with a tool after the couple argued, prosecutors said Thursday.
Mauricio Granda was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court shortly after midnight for the murder of his 59-year-old wife, Maria Ines Granda.
Maria Granda was found dead with a head wound in the couple’s apartment on 79th St. near Third Ave. in Bay Ridge about 9:30 a.m. Monday.
After Granda, 47, was taken into custody, he confessed to hitting his wife with an object after a quarrel, according to prosecutor Tziyonah Langsam.
“At the precinct, defendant waived Miranda warnings and stated in sum and substance that on Sept. 12 he used a tool and struck the (victim) on the back of the head,” Langsam said in court.
Mauricio Granda, charged with murdering his wife, Maria Ines Granda, during his arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court on Thursday. (Robert Mecea / Pool)
Granda appeared before the judge with his hands cuffed behind his back wearing cargo shorts and a T-shirt with a skull motif. He did not speak other than to utter ‘good evening,’ in response to the judge’s same greeting.
Granda spent much of the proceedings face forward, with eyes closed, head tilted to the ceiling.
Granda was arrested in Sunset Park later that day after Maria’s son, Fortino Vasquez, tracked him down to his old apartment and prevented him from fleeing in the dead woman’s car by blocking him in and calling the cops.
Maria Granda, whose maiden name is Maria Ines Sanchez, with her dog, Canelo. The woman was found dead in her Bay Ridge apartment. (Courtesy of Fortino Vasquez)
“Something told me to head there,” Vasquez said. “When I approached 52nd Street, that’s when I I recognize my mom’s car and, as I get closer, I see that he’s inside,” Vasquez said. “I was blocking traffic and cars were honking. But I wanted to stay put.”
Vasquez, who had not heard from his mother since Saturday, requested a wellness check on Monday after getting a call from her employer that she had not shown up for her job as a pre-kindergarten teacher. When cops went to her apartment, they found her dead face-down on her living room floor with a wound to the back of her head, Langsam said.
A 59-year-old woman was found dead with a head injury inside a Brooklyn apartment on 79th St. near Third Ave. in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn on Monday. (Kerry Burke / New York Daily News)
Shortly before Granda was arraigned, his aunt, Yolanda Granda Trivino, 73, appeared in the same courtroom and was charged with assault, menacing, harassment and criminal possession of a weapon.
Trivino allegedly struck Vasquez with a dog leash when Vasquez spotted her with his mother’s beloved 3-year-old goldendoodle, Canelo, and reclaimed the dog about 11 p.m. Tuesday.
Mauricio Granda, charged with murdering his wife, Maria Ines Granda, during his arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court on Thursday. (Robert Mecea / Pool)
Vazquez said his older brother purchased the dog for his mother.
“My family was really worried about the dog,” he said. “It gave some closure. Just knowing he’s safe and where he really belongs is great.”
Trivino was released without bail after pleading not guilty.
Granda, charged with murder, was ordered held without bail and is due back in court Sept. 21.