Prosecutors: Queens Man Charged In Wife's Death Was Ordered To Stay Away
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Queens man who had been ordered to stay away from his wife has been charged with her murder, according to prosecutors.
Ganesh Seelall, 39, was arraigned last week on charges of second-degree murder, aggravated criminal contempt and tampering with physical evidence in the death of his wife, 29-year-old Samantha Seelall.
Around 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 16, police were called to the couple's home on 117 Street in Richmond Hill. When they arrived, officers found Samantha Seelall's body underneath the bed in the couple's bedroom, according to prosecutors.
She was naked with a blanket over her body and a black plastic bag with duct tape around her head with rags tied to both of her wrists, prosecutors said.
Ganesh Seelall's uncle Peter Maradiaga said his nephew is a good man, but that he was drunk when his wife told him she was having an affair.
"It was just heat of passion," he said at the time of Seelall's arrest. "This is a girl who is telling her husband 'I just came from sleeping with somebody else.' I mean, come on, we're all human."
Authorities said Seelall had stabbed his wife multiple times in her head and chest. She was also smothered, prosecutors said.
Samantha Seelall had an order of protection against her husband since January, authorities said. The order, which was in effect until Jan. 2014, said that Ganesh Seelall was "to refrain from assaulting, stalking, menacing, intimidating, threatening, or any other criminal offenses against her," prosecutors said.
It's unclear what led to Samantha Seelall obtaining the order of protection against her husband.
Seelall was held without bail and ordered to return to court on September 10. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
Please share your thoughts below...
