By Bianca Fortis
A resident of a Rockaway Park nursing home has been arraigned on a charge that he beat his roommate to death, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced Friday.
Police said they responded to an early morning 911 call of an assault Oct. 30 at Beacon Rehab and Nursing Center, on 113th Street. At the nursing home, police found an unconscious elderly man who had suffered trauma to the head, police said.
According to Brown, the victim was 71-year-old Jailall Singh.
Between 1:15 a.m. and 1:25 a.m., a witness observed Singh’s roommate, 66-year-old Thomas Yarnavick, next to Singh, according to the criminal complaint filed by the district attorney last week. Singh was already dead and lying face up in bed, and he was covered in blood and his head was caved in, the complaint. said
The witness saw Yarnavick allegedly holding the metal leg rest of a wheelchair, which was covered in blood, according to the complaint, and then placed the bloody leg rest inside a laundry hamper, from where it was later recovered.
Yarnavick allegedly had blood on his clothing and body, the court document said.
Finally, according to prosecutors, Yarnavick allegedly stated, “I just killed him.”
Singh was taken to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway where he was pronounced dead, police said. Singh died from his injuries which were a result of blunt force trauma to the head, the complaint said.
Police said they arrested Yarnavick the same night. He was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the DA’s office.
He was ordered to be held without bail and to return to court Dec. 4. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if he is convicted of the charges, the DA said.
When contacted Monday, Yarnavick’s attorney declined to comment on the case pending further investigation.
Reach reporter Bianca Fortis by email at bfortis@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
