Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dimitrios Manessis was charged with murder and weapon possession for the stabbing death of 75-year-old George Dourdounas in Astoria on Tuesday. The defendant allegedly ambushed the victim outside the man’s first-floor apartment, which was next door to his own, and then stabbed him.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said: “This is a senseless act of violence that has rattled the Astoria community. The defendant is accused of stabbing an elderly neighbor to death over a perceived slight. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home and in their own neighborhood and my office will aggressively prosecute this case as we seek justice for the family and friends of George Dourdounas.”

Manessis, 48, of Astoria, was arraigned today on a criminal complaint charging him with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Queens Criminal Court Judge Indira Khan remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court on March 9. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges, on March 3, at approximately 1:20 p.m., the defendant was standing outside of his apartment when the victim entered the apartment building. Manessis allegedly punched the victim, which caused the 75-year-old man to fall to the ground. As the victim lay on the ground, the defendant entered his apartment, retrieved a sharp instrument, and repeatedly stabbed the victim. Manessis then allegedly went inside his home covered in blood.

A neighbor, who entered the apartment building during the incident, called 911 and responding members of the NYPD apprehended the defendant at the scene.

The defendant quarreled with the 75-year-old man leading up to the murder.

Assistant District Attorney Ryan Nicolosi of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Senior Assistant District Attorney Antonio Vittiglio under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross and Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.