Police have charged a 55-year-old man in a brutal, triple stabbing / double murder in a Norwood residential building that has left many residents shocked and with an uneasiness they have never experienced before, after detectives and crime scene investigators wrapped up their search of the crime scene for clues in the killing.

 

As reported, according to police, officers from the 52nd Precinct were called to 3145 Rochambeau Avenue at 10:19 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 29-year-old woman with stab wounds to the chest and a 33-year-old woman with a slash wound to the hand. Both victims were discovered at the entrance to the building.

Police say both women were rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital where the 29-year-old was pronounced deceased. According to one police source, “Upon further investigation, police discovered, inside of the location, a 45-year-old male with multiple stab wounds to his torso.” The man was declared dead at the scene.

 

On Thursday, Aug. 31, police identified the victims as Gina Cooks, 29, of Valentine Avenue and Roberto Jimenez, 45, a fourth-floor resident of the Rochambeau Avenue building. Police announced the arrest a day earlier of Derrick Williams, 55, also a resident of 3145 Rochambeau Avenue, in connection with the incident. Williams was charged with two counts of murder, and one count of attempted murder.

On Saturday, Aug. 26, as NYPD Crime Scene Unit investigators and detectives collected evidence and spoke with neighbors, following reports by some residents that they had heard screams during the course of the incident the night before, a female resident we spoke to, who declined to be identified, was asked if she too had also heard screams.

 

The woman, who lives across the street from the building, told Norwood News, “They heard it, my neighbor.”

 

The woman, who is a 12-year resident of the block, continued, “My best friend heard it, and I said, ‘Why didn’t you call 911?’ and he said, ‘I didn’t want to get into it,’ and I said, ‘It doesn’t matter. 911 – you need to call. She was screaming! Call 911’.”

 

Asked if she knew the people involved, the woman replied, “No, because they are new. They started renting rooms.” Referring to the suspect, the woman said, “He’s been here for one month. I never see him here. He had a motorcycle he parked right here yesterday, and this happened later that night.” The referenced motorcycle that had apparently been parked on the sidewalk in front of the building was no longer there on Saturday.

After getting frantic calls from neighbors the following morning, the woman continued, “I know the girl died, 29 years old, the one that was screaming for help, and I didn’t know the other one.” The woman added, “This has never happened around here, nothing. They don’t sell drugs, nothing, because you never see anything here and everybody knows each other.”

 

A male resident who lives on the fourth floor on the opposite side of the building to where Jiminez had lived and died, who also declined to be identified, echoed the words of several residents when he said, “This has never happened here before. I’ve been told by a neighbor who lived here for forty years.” He said the neighbor told him they could not remember a murder ever taking place on the quiet, tree-lined block.

 

The male resident continued, “It appears that it started right here, there in the doorway and they got stabbed there, two of them, and I think one of them went into the lobby. That’s the one who got stabbed repeatedly.”

 

The resident continued, “I’m also hearing that perhaps one of them went upstairs and came down. I’m not sure. So, I’m not sure who did it. It’s like a mystery. Unfortunately, I live right here. I didn’t hear anything but my roommate told me around 10ish she heard someone yelling, ‘Get out! Get out!’ but nothing like a scream. I would imagine someone would scream if you’re punctured with a knife.”

 

 

A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.