A 26-year-old Queens man was arrested Tuesday night in connection with the machete stabbing death of his mother inside their Far Rockaway home, police reported. Joanna Crawford, 61, a retired New York City Department of Correction officer, was found dead around 10:40 a.m. that day at the family residence on Nameoke Avenue near Pinson Street. She had sustained multiple stab wounds, and the murder weapon was recovered at the scene.

Armel Crawford was charged with murder and weapons possession. According to law enforcement, the family had a history of frequent disputes, with police called to the residence several times over the past five years to mediate conflicts between Armel and his mother. Incidents documented by the NYPD include a domestic harassment report filed in June, an argument in April involving a visiting relative, as well as previous responses in November 2022 and August 2021, when Armel was seen throwing hot water in the hallway.

Joanna Crawford served with the New York City Department of Correction for 23 years, beginning in 1987 before retiring in 2010. Department officials expressed mourning over her death. Commissioner Stanley Richards released a statement honoring her service, describing her loss as a significant blow to the department’s community.

Relatives expressed shock at the killing, with Joanna’s cousin Barry Crawford saying he had urged Armel to stay elsewhere temporarily to ease tensions, but the advice was not heeded.

Armel Crawford had no prior arrests, and his arraignment was scheduled for Wednesday in Queens Criminal Court.

In an unrelated incident the same day, an 18-year-old man named James Whiskey was charged with rape and sexual abuse following an attack on a 17-year-old girl in Ferry Point Park, located in the Bronx. The assault reportedly occurred around 10 p.m. near Emerson and Harding Avenues.

While homicide and shooting rates in New York City remain at historic lows, authorities have noted a 6% increase in rape investigations through the end of June compared to the previous year. Officials attribute this rise partly to enhanced reporting mechanisms, growing victim awareness, and an expanded legal definition of rape under the state’s “Rape is Rape” Act, which broadens the scope to include nonconsensual sexual contact.

Police continue to seek information related to a separate sex attack in Greenwich Village and have urged the public to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers with any leads, assuring confidentiality for tipsters.