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Gunman accused of killing tarot-reading mother of NYPD officer thought she was a ‘witch’, report says

‘I’m gonna be lost without her’, says husband of tarot-card reader

Gino Spocchia
Friday 06 May 2022 16:52 BST
Giuseppe Canzani, 41, leaving the 106th Precinct station house in Ozone Park, Queens, on Thursday
Giuseppe Canzani, 41, leaving the 106th Precinct station house in Ozone Park, Queens, on Thursday (FoxNews5 / YouTube)

A man arrested for shooting a woman in Queens, New York, allegedly believed the tarot-card reader was a “witch” who had cursed him, authorities reportedly said.

The 41-year-old, Giuseppe Canzani, was arrested on Wednesday after 51-year-old Anna Torres was found deceased with multiple shooting wounds at her home in Ozone Park, Queens.

On Thursday, he was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon, the New York Police Department said in an email to The Independent.

Citing police sources, both ABC7 New York and the New York Post said police believe Mr Canzani was a “disgruntled” customer of Ms Torres, a clairvoyant who performed tarot-card readings at her home.

“Yeah, that’s the woman I shot,” he allegedly told police.“They tried to kill me”.

He allegedly added: “If I tell you what’s going on with me, you wouldn’t believe it. Not for nothing, I am supposed to be dead already, that’s all I know.”

According to ABC New York, the comments were made by Mr Canazani shortly after he entered the 106th precinct police station and were captured on body cameras.

A surveillance video from the neighbourhood around Ms Torres’ home meanwhile appeared to show Mr Canzani getting out of a vehicle and walking up to the door of the woman’s home with a gun before driving off.

Anna Torres, 51, was shot as she answered the door of her Queens home on Wednesday
Anna Torres, 51, was shot as she answered the door of her Queens home on Wednesday (Facebook.com/AnnaTorres)

Police said in a statement on Wednesday: “Upon arrival, officers discovered a 51 year-old female unconscious and unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the right side of the head,” and that Ms Torres was pronounced dead at the scene.

“I’m gonna be lost without her, man. I wanna know why he did that...She don’t deserve that. I wish it was me and not her,” her husband David Aguilar told reporters.

She was also reportedly the mother of a NYPD officer and the “sweetest person in the world”, said Mr Aguilar.

It was not clear if Mr Canzani had a lawyer.

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