The Upper West Side family found dead in a suspected murder-suicide has been identified as the apartment building’s superintendent, his wife, and their two young sons. Edison Lopez, 41, is believed to have stabbed his wife, 40-year-old Alexandra Witek, and their two sons, 3-year-old Lucien and 1-year-old Calvin, before taking his own life.
The bodies of the children were in such terrible condition that they were initially misidentified as a boy and a girl. There was no previous emergency call history indicating any domestic strife within the family.
The family was discovered in their home on West 86th Street near Riverside Drive around 3 p.m. on Monday. Lopez’s father became concerned after being unable to reach the family since Sunday and alerted Witek’s younger brother. They drilled out the lock of the apartment and found blood inside, leading to the authorities being contacted.
First responders found the two children in the living room with multiple stab wounds and two knives nearby. Witek’s body was found in the hallway with a deep cut to her neck, while Lopez was found lying on a bed in a bedroom. Lopez also had a stab wound to his neck, with a knife next to him.
All four individuals were pronounced dead at the scene. The apartment door was locked from the inside.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. Alternatively, if you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.