A Queens man has been sentenced to 23 years behind bars for the shooting death of a local tarot card reader, a case that rocked the Ozone Park community in 2022. According to a statement from Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, 45-year-old Giuseppe Canzani of Howard Beach pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the killing of 51-year-old Anna Torres, as per the Queens District Attorney's Office.
Torres was shot in the neck and arm right at her doorstep in broad daylight, prompting panic among onlookers and neighbors. The Queens District Attorney's Office highlighted the public's terror, with Katz saying: "The defendant shot Anna Torres in broad daylight in the doorway of her own home, sending pedestrians running for their lives at the sound of the gunfire." Canzani was said to have believed Torres was "a witch" who had cursed him, compelling him to carry out the attack fearing for his family's safety.
Following the incident on May 4, 2022, Canzani turned himself in to the local 106th Precinct. He approached with a .45-caliber gun, making it clear to the authorities that he was surrendering, not threatening. He stated, "I want to turn myself in, I’m not here to hurt you guys. I’m here because of the woman I shot." Inside the precinct, Canzani implicated Torres as a supernatural threat, claiming that she was "a witch" and someone under her influence was going to harm his family, according to the Queens District Attorney's Office.
The sentencing brings a measure of closure to an event that shook locals to their core. DA Katz expressed the hope that this might be another step forward in the healing process for Torres’ bereaved family and friends, saying, "Nothing can undo what happened, but we hope today’s sentencing provides Ms. Torres’ loved ones another step forward in the healing process." Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Zawistowski led the prosecution, working under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Karen Ross, Jonathan Selkowe, and the overall guidance of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Major Crimes Shawn Clark, as reported by the Queens District Attorney's Office.
