Horrifying moment landlord, 71, ‘is thrown to his death down steps by tenant, 22, while trying to collect unpaid rent’ at property in Queens
- Tenant allegedly shoved his landlord down a flight of stairs in dispute over rent
- Queens landlord Edgar Moncayo, 71, was trying to collect $200 owed to him
- Tenant allegedly pushed him and he hit his head on concrete and later died
A tenant has been charged over the death of his landlord after he allegedly shoved the elderly man down a flight of stairs in a dispute over unpaid rent.
Queens landlord Edgar Moncayo was trying to collect $200 from his tenant, Alex Garces, on Sunday afternoon.
The 71-year-old arrived at his property in Corona while on the phone to his wife, and tried to gain access into the building.
In Ring doorbell camera footage the tenant, Garces, 22, can be seen opening the front door and Moncayo attempts to enter the property.
Queens landlord Edgar Moncayo, 71, (left) can be seen arriving at his property to collect overdue rent. After a brief altercation, Moncayo is pushed down the flight of steps (right)
Footage shows a brief physical altercation breaking out before Garces allegedly pushes Moncayo down the flight of stairs which lead up to the front door.
The 71-year-old sustained a blow to his head when he hit the concrete below.
The victim was taken to Elmhurst Hospital and put on a life support machine. However he was pronounced dead by 12:30pm on Monday afternoon.
The victim’s grandson, Nicolas Jativa, 20, said the dispute had all been about rent.
‘It was all about rent, rent money that this guy didn’t want to pay,’ he told the New York Post.
Moncayo, 71, was on the phone to his wife, pictured right, when he was thrown down the steps
Moncayo falls onto the concrete below and suffers a blunt force to his head, which proves fatal
Moncayo had reportedly already agreed to reduce the tenants rent that month from $400 down to $200.
The devastated grandson added: ‘My grandmother wasn’t home when this happened, she was on her way back home already when she got a call from a neighbor telling her what had happened.
‘As soon as she saw my grandfather she just dropped to her knees and started crying. I didn’t believe it until I saw the video for myself and it’s horrible.’
Garces’ family have reportedly claimed that his death was an accident.
Garces was arrested on Monday and has been charged with manslaughter.