Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Murder in Ozone Park


From Eyewitness News:

Police say a man found dead in the middle of a road in Ozone Park early this morning may have been robbed.

The body of a man found on Arion Road has been identified as 58-year-old Ramnarin Matadin.

Police say the victim suffered blunt trauma to the back of the head. Relatives say Matadin's wallet and jewelry were missing.

Investigators found the man around 1:30 a.m. after being notified by a 911 caller.

Surveillance cameras on a neighbor's home may have picked up something, and that's what area residents hope. They say they avoid the road in question, with its shadowy dead end and bad history.


From CBS 2:

The victim’s son-in-law said the man had been drinking at a bar in Ozone Park and believes he had been robbed since the victim’s wallet and jewelry were missing.

The man was last seen in a dollar van that the bartender had called. The bartender and driver of the van are being questioned by police.


UPDATE: Suspects are in custody.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Robberys are sky rocketing.
Its going to be worse then the 1970's just wait till this winter when people become really desperate.

Anonymous said...

Who gets tanked on a Tuesday night??? What self respecting person uses a dollar van???

Anonymous said...

If you can't find a job..

Well, it's time to rob.

Madeleine White said...

When there's blood on the streets, buy property.

Unanimous said...

What kind of A$$hole questions whether a man drinks on a Tuesday night or uses a dollar van? These are not provocations to rob and murder someone.

Babs said...

What's a dollar van?

a quote from Wikipedia said...

A dollar van (also known as a commuter van, jitney) is a privately owned transportation vehicle used to carry passengers. Dollar vans typically operate in neighborhoods within urban areas that are under-served by public mass transit or taxis. Some of the dollar vans are licensed and regulated, while others operate illegally. Passengers may board them at designated stops along their route or hail them as share taxis (although the latter practice may be technically illegal). The name comes from the fact that it would only cost about one dollar or so to ride with such transit. Dollar vans are primarily owned and used by inner-city African/Caribbean American, Latino, and Asian American populations. The vehicles used range from 15-seat Ford Econolines to 29-seat minibuses

georgetheatheist said...

1. If you're gonna get soused, get soused in your own home.

2. Home surveillance video on your house. Better than making the rounds on the parapet walls. No?

Babs said...

Thank you for your response - it doesn't make sense to me though why anyone would want to chauffeur around people for such little money - it's not paying even for the gas let alone the INSURANCE.

weird.

Anonymous said...

And the driver who killed him is indo caribbean. what's wrong with the indo guyanese/trini community? They drink. They commit crimes such as driving illegal vans -- and then robbing the passenger.

And let's not forget their mortgage fraud. And that Lloyd Varma, who managed to get all 9 of his homes foreclosed in Queens.

There is a lot more to this community than their loud music, shrill voices, and noxious cooking.

So much for vibrant diversity.

Anonymous said...

True dat! Some light needs to be shined on the goings-on in little Guyana,aka RH.

A guy in Queens said...

Yes...an investigation needs to happen into the Guyanese/Trinidad community because no other nationalities drink or commit crimes including mortgage fraud except for them. All other nationalities are pretty much saints. Rumor has it that the entire world financial collapse was planned in Richmond Hill and I heard they pretty much control all of Wall Street.

I had a beer last night at local bar in Forest Hills. Than I realized after reading this article that maybe that wasn’t a good idea because someone in a dollar van could have robbed and murdered me. I'm glad I made it home alive.

Damn you Draft Beer!!

Amorphous said...

Babs - I've never used these vans but I believe they charge more than a dollar now and maybe gauged with the cost and what the MTA charges at prevailling rates. A friend of mine used them from the subway to her home in Queens Village because they were cheaper than a cab and safer than the long walk at night. They typically go where public transporation does not. Many are legit, but just like regular cabs, some are not. Given recent news, where even finding out that some of the yellow cabs arent even legit.

I remember these being used more than 20 years ago, when at the time they were probably only a buck, so I think the name just stuck over the years.

Anonymous said...

How insensitive are you people?! Someone was murdered for a watch and a phone and some cash! Don't people value life anymore. This guy was trying to get home safely by getting in a cab...whereas irresponsible people would drive drunk. How would you feel if you lost a father, a grandfather, a husband, an uncle that you care about so deeply to something like this! I can't believe the murderers are only getting upto 25 years...they should rot in jail forever or better yet get the death penalty

Anonymous said...

Shine the light and watch the crabs scurry! Lots of bars and lots of not so legit runnings in all of them.

Anonymous said...

I am disgusted by some of the racist comments that were made here. Its so funny when things like this does not affect you personally how easy it is to sit back any pass judgment. This "man" everyone is commenting about was my relative. I don't care what day of the week it was that he was drinking, why does that matter. So if he murdered on a Saturday night that would make it OK because it was Saturday and you can go out then. Inhumane people such as those who made comments here need to realize that this was someone's father, uncle and grandfather that was brutally taken away. A distraught family is sitting at home crying right now and trying to figure out how to go on with their lives while some of you with nothing better to do is posting comments on a news article. Maybe your time will be better spent doing something more productive. Also did it ever cross your mind that the family might also read this article as you did and see those hurtful comments some of you made. So not alone are your comments idiotic but they might have just contributed to the pain and turmoil this family is experiencing.

Audacious said...

To the commentator prior to me: Thank you for expressing your comments and well said. Please ignore the some of the individuals suffering from xenophobia sitting comfortably behind there pc's.

My condolences go out to you and everyone touched by this tragedy.

Anonymous said...

This is disgusting, I go out to bars all the time and then call a taxi. I expect them to take me home not rob and then kill me. this is not a Guyanaese or Trini thing, it happens all with all races and nationality. My condolonces to this family. btw, when i'm on vacation, I go out on a Tuesday night to drink with my buddies just like this person. If you don't have something good to say, just shut up.

Anonymous said...

May God give his soul a resting place. To the family, have my deepest sympathy, the world in your view might seem dark and dim but one day the light will shine on you again as time heals all wounds as mine did, have faith, God is there.

GTRUDEBWOY said...

Well, in Guyana it is much worse by far. In Guyana you get murdered then robbed. They don`t ask you for your shyt because they figure it is a waste of time to talk to you b/c they will kill you anyway. PPl confuse the Indo-Guyanese with ppl from India, different mentalites.

Either way it is unfortunate for these youths to go and kill out there own. Especially picking on an older man, come try and rob me and see wats poppin. That is what the man wants to didvide us and let us do their dirty work.

My condolences to the family either way. They shouldn`t have robbed him but definately should not have killed him.

GTRUDEBWOY said...

I actually just saw the clip, I know the family. It is a small world. You never know who could get got. It could happen to you or anyone you know. So people need to give peace and respects to the family.