Gruesome murder in Flushing

From the Daily News:

A young mother and her two dogs were found dead in her gas-filled Queens apartment Wednesday - and her attacker was on the loose after crashing his Mercedes into Flushing Bay, cops said.

Claudia Montoya's killer, who slashed her throat then turned on her gas stove, fled the gruesome murder scene in Flushing in a panic, smashing into two fences, a brick wall and trash cans before making what cops believe was a dramatic bid to fake his suicide.

Following a short drive into neighboring College Point, the killer floored the black Mercedes SUV down 28th Ave. - a straight road that dead-ends before a bluff leading down to the bay.

The SUV skirted a guardrail on the wrong side of the road and hurtled over a small hill before splitting a pair of trees and going airborne - eventually splash-landing into the shallows, partially submerging the luxury ride.

Cops searched the water and shoreline for the killer, but found nothing. They eventually traced the SUV's license plate back to the Murray Lane apartment where Montoya, 31, was found slain, police sources said.

Neighbors called 911 around 7:50 a.m. Wednesday after becoming alarmed by a powerful odor of gas emanating from the apartment.

Cops found Montoya's body along with those of two blood-splattered dogs, which appear to have been overcome by the gas.

Montoya's throat had been slashed, but she was also stabbed numerous times in the torso, cops said. The Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy Thursday to determine if the gas played a role in her death, a spokeswoman said.