Cops: Staten Island Woman Charged In Boyfriend's Shooting Death
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A mother of three is being held for murder after allegedly blasting her boyfriend with a gunshot to the head. She reportedly told police she was abused.
Police sources told CBS 2's John Slattery on Monday that 38-year-old Lisa McQuade told officers she had been a victim of beatings and couldn't take it anymore. That's the reason she allegedly shot her boyfriend, 39-year-old Christopher Bonafede.
Cops: Staten Island Woman Charged In Boyfriend's Death
Bonafede was a sanitation worker with whom she lived.
"We're devastated, but we have no comment," one of Bonafede's cousin's said.
Police said after allegedly shooting Bonafede in the home they shared in the Eltingville section of Staten Island, the mother of three took off and went to Manhattan. She got to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and later turned herself into police.
Officers went to their home and found Bonafede dead in his bed, shot in the head. One of his cousins showed CBS 2's Slattery a photo of Bonafede with his son, Vincent, but would not comment on reports of the deceased allegedly beating his girlfriend.
"Christopher was a good person. I have no comment on that. I have no comment on that," the cousin said.
However, neighbors on the block said they could hear domestic strife.
"They [had] been having a lot of arguments recently, especially late at night. [I was] hearing a lot of yelling and screaming in the middle of the night," Nick Scalzo said.
Scalzo is a retired sanitation worker, as is neighbor Ron Gerardo.
"And it hurts me, and he had a 3-year-old kid. I don't know what to say. It's upsetting," Gerardo said.
McQuade was charged with second-degree murder and possession of a loaded gun.
While some neighbors were well aware of discontent that spilled out in the home, no one expected there to be bloodshed and death.
McQuade was expected to be formally arraigned on Tuesday.
