Elderly Trinidadian man charged in killing of woman whose remains were found near JFK

Trinidad and Tobago: A 75-year-old man, a national of Trinidad, has been charged with the murder of 34-year-old Salisha Ali, a mother of three whose dismembered remains were found in different locations near the New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport.

According to police officials, Ali had travelled to the USA in search of a better life with the detectives believing that the elderly suspect killed her sometime last year before cutting up her body and disposing the parts in different isolated areas.

The case first came into talks in September 2025 when sanitation workers found a human torso in a marshy section of Indewild Park which was not very far from the airport. Months later, on March 5, another group of workers found a human head inside the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Following further searches in the area, police officials recovered additional body parts and authorities said that Ali was identified through distinctive tattoos on her body including three names as well as a flower design while the DNA testing on the torso later confirmed her identity.

The suspect who had been under investigation for some time now was taken into custody on Wednesday and he has since been charged with murder, two counts of tampering with physical evidence and obstructing governmental administration.

Notably, Ali’s relatives in Trinidad had reported her missing right after she suddenly stopped answering their calls. Family members note that the last time they talked with her was during a video call in July 2025.

One relative also told local media that when the victim did not respond to messages for several days, they became more concerned about her safety and whereabouts. “The last time we heard from her was July 13. At first we thought she was just busy, but after two days it felt strange because she always used her phone and would return calls,” the relative said.

The relatives then contacted the Trinidad and Tobago Consulate in New York and filed a missing person's report. They further disclosed that Ali had met the 75-year-old man while being in Trinidad and later travelled to the United States to be with him. Police investigations into the incident are still going on.