Woodside man charged with murdering elderly mother

Queens Criminal Court. Eagle file photo by David Brand

By Victoria Merlino

A Woodside man was charged with murder after allegedly stabbing his elderly mother in the head with a kitchen knife, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Thursday.

Police responding to a 911 call early on April 24 found a trail of blood leading to the Woodside apartment of David Galicia, 48, and his mother, Carmelita Cabansag, 78. Cabansag’s body was on the floor of the kitchen with multiple stab wounds, and a bloody meat cleaver lay beside her, according to the charges. 

Police allegedly found Galicia still in the apartment, with what appeared to be self-inflicted wounds. When taken to the hospital, Galicia allegedly told police that he woke up and knifed his mother, and he did not know why he did this.

“This was an alleged act of matricide with blood splattered on the walls and pooling on the floors in the living room and kitchen,” Katz said in a statement. “The 78-year-old victim — her body found lifeless on the floor and slumped against a kitchen cabinet — was allegedly killed by her own son. The defendant, who was hospitalized, is in custody and charged in this heinous slaying.”

Galicia faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted.