A disgruntled son was arrested for stabbing his retired corrections officer mother to death inside their Queens home in an act of domestic violence, according to authorities and family members.
Armel Crawford, 26, was arrested for fatally stabbing Joanne Crawford, 61, inside their home on Nameoke Avenue in Far Rockaway on Tuesday, the NYPD announced.
Joanne, a retired corrections officer, was discovered with multiple stab wounds in the residence around 10:40 a.m. She was pronounced dead on the scene, cops said.
Armel was cuffed and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon hours later on Tuesday night, police said.
Joanne’s first cousin, Barry Crawford, told reporters at the scene that Armel had a tense relationship with his mother over her job as a corrections officer, which she later retired from.
The gig kept her out of the house and allegedly led Armel to feel he didn’t have the “quality time” with his mother that he wanted while growing up, the cousin explained.
Barry believed a disagreement had sparked between the mother and her only son some time before the stabbing for not allowing him “to take care of his grandmother anymore” because he “didn’t respect her.”
“He never was a troubled kid outside; he just had problems with her. I think his biggest problem with her is that she worked for corrections, she was a retired corrections officer, so she was never home … he felt that she never gave him the quality time that he desired,” Barry said.
Police would not confirm Armel and Joanne’s relationship to each other on Tuesday night.
Barry said he started “pouring tears” after learning about Joanne’s death and remembered her as a giving fixture of the community who was always there for her loved ones.
“Her father and my mother are brothers and sisters. We’ve been close since we were little kids. I’ll love her and miss her forever. I’ll never understand this tragedy or what has happened,” he said.
“This tragedy will never be understood by this family because of who she is. She did everything for everyone who came in contact with her. Anyone who knew Joanne Crawford knew she was a loving person.”
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