A Queens grand jury has indicted Bretford Brewer, who is accused of fatally stabbing his neighbor Carlos Penzo inside a Long Island City apartment building and then fleeing toward the roof before a building staffer detained him until officers arrived. Brewer faces murder and other charges, according to Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Grand Jury Hands Up Murder Indictment
Katz’s office announced the indictment in a statement shared on X, saying Brewer had been indicted for murder and other charges in connection with the August stabbing of Penzo inside his Long Island City apartment, according to Queens DA Katz.
The statement described the prosecution’s allegations against Brewer, which have not been proved in court.
“As alleged, this defendant violently attacked Carlos Penzo and stabbed him multiple times in his own apartment,” Katz said, per the statement. The office said the alleged attack began inside Penzo’s home and was followed by Brewer’s movement into the building’s stairwell.
Suspect Allegedly Fled Toward the Roof, Then Returned
According to Katz’s office, Brewer did not immediately leave the building after the alleged attack. The statement says, “After killing the victim, Bretford Brewer went to a stairwell landing leading to the roof and then returned naked to the same floor as Penzo’s apartment.”
A building employee then detained Brewer until police arrived, according to the district attorney’s office.
Other Queens Cases and Support Resources
According to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, a separate March 3 case involved the alleged stabbing death of a 75-year-old neighbor outside his first-floor apartment in Astoria. That incident differed from the Long Island City case because the alleged victim was 75 and the stabbing occurred outside the apartment, next door to the accused man’s home. For residents seeking assistance after a violent incident, the NYPD’s Crime Victim Assistance Program says Safe Horizon victim advocates are placed in each NYPD precinct, and a police report is not required to access their services, according to the NYPD Crime Victim Assistance Program.
Decades Behind Bars Possible if Convicted
The indictment now moves the case forward through Queens County’s court system, with Katz’s office framing the charges as a step toward accountability. “A grand jury has now indicted Bretford Brewer for murder and other charges as we seek to ensure justice for the victim and his loved ones,” Katz said.
If convicted, Brewer faces up to 25 years to life in prison, the district attorney’s office said. The exact charges beyond murder, along with details of Brewer’s plea or any court dates, have not been made public.
