75-year-old husband accused of murder after wife's remains found in Broad Channel, Queens
BROAD CHANNEL, Queens (WABC) -- Police say they have arrested the husband of the victim whose remains were discovered last week in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Broad Channel.
New York City police said Wednesday that 75-year-old Rupchand Simboo killed his wife, and then reported her missing last July.
The victim, 34-year-old Salisha Ali, was last seen alive by a relative during a Facetime call on July 13.
The same day, Simboo filed a missing persons report. Detectives now believe he did that to cover his tracks after killing her.
The two met in 2023 when she lived in Trinidad. She moved back to Queens in 2024 to live with him and they married that same year.
Police sources told Eyewitness News, the 75-year-old was the 34-year-old's immigration sponsor.
After her torso was discovered in Queens last September, family members in Trinidad feared the worst.
The discovery of her head in another part of Queens last Thursday confirmed their worst fears.
Simboo was arrested Wednesday on charges of murder, obstructing governmental administration and tampering with physical evidence.
Relatives of Simboo showed up to the house Wednesday night. They did not want to offer any comment, but one of them did say they have just as many questions as we do.
For months, neighbors have been haunted by what happened to Ali.
Eyewitness News asked neighbors if they noticed anything alarming about the couple's relationship.
"They would sit outside on the porch in the summertime. Sometimes we'd see them having a beer and just hanging out playing music, but other than that, they seemed normal to me," one neighbor said.
Hasiena Dwarika had no idea she was living across the street from an accused killer, but she started to wonder.
"When we gathered a little bit of info on what happened, we were like, 'OK this guy is scary,' but then for a while everything went silent and we saw him living his life as normal so we just thought maybe he wasn't found guilty," Dwarika said.
Dwarika said she now feels somewhat relieved.
"Oh well yes, that he's not just - I have a young daughter and trying to raise a family and don't want to live across from someone as dangerous as him," she said.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
