A 48-year-old Brooklyn man already locked up at Rikers Island is now facing a murder charge after one of the two people he allegedly beat with a metal pipe outside a Jamaica, Queens home in August died of his injuries. Eon Marques had been held on attempted murder since his arrest later on Aug. 18, but that charge was upgraded after the city's medical examiner determined the death was a homicide.
Police say Marques struck a 39-year-old man in the head and beat a 43-year-old man about the body with the pipe near 90th Avenue and 149th Street in Jamaica shortly before midnight on Aug. 18, according to New York Daily News. Medics rushed both men to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where the 39-year-old was initially listed in critical condition before later dying of his injuries. The outlet reports his name has not been released, and police could not immediately provide the exact date he died.
The 43-year-old victim fared better, suffering non-life-threatening injuries and being treated and released from the hospital the same night, per the same account. Marques reportedly ran off down 150th Street after the beating before he was arrested later that day, according to court records cited by the outlet. He has been incarcerated at Rikers Island since Aug. 20.
Charge Upgraded Weeks Later
Marques was initially charged with attempted murder following his arrest in August, but those charges were upgraded to murder after the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the younger victim's death a homicide. No motive for the beating has been released, and police say Marques lives in Brooklyn. The article notes that the victim's identity and the precise timing of his death remain unconfirmed publicly.
Context on Citywide Violence
The case comes as the New York Police Department has touted broader progress against gun violence citywide. A report attributed to the NYPD states that since the start of 2026, the department has removed 4,100 guns from city streets, including 778 in Queens. That figure, however, speaks to firearm seizures and does not bear directly on this alleged pipe attack, in which no gun was involved.
No additional details about Marques's current case status, attorney, or upcoming court dates were immediately available.
