Police have arrested a Brooklyn woman for the murder of her elderly Haitian-born friend and neighbor.
Tamisha Harper, 43, was arrested after Edna Pierre-Jacques, 78, was found dead by emergency medical service personnel in a pool of blood, at her Brooklyn home, next to a broken hammer head.
Pierre-Jacques’ daughter and granddaughter found her battered body inside her Troy Ave., Brooklyn, apartment, reported the New York Daily News on Friday.
It said Harper and Pierre-Jacques lived across the street from each other and were friends.
According to an autopsy, Pierre-Jacques died from being strangled — but also suffered five blows to the head from the hammer.
A judge in Brooklyn Criminal Court ordered Harper held without bail at her arraignment Thursday.
Detectives learned of Harper after the victim’s family told them she fought with Pierre-Jacques earlier in the day, the Daily News said.
According to court papers, Harper confessed to detectives to killing Pierre-Jacques, claiming that she strangled her with her hands.
Police initially questioned her estranged Haitian-born husband, who still lived at the home.
They later arrested Harper, who sources say was upset because she thought the victim performed voodoo on her and that they had been through a previous dispute, according to WPIX 11 TV.