Police arrested 31-year-old Rami Ahmad after a search that stretched from a Smart Avenue home to the South County Trail.
YONKERS, NY — A 31-year-old Yonkers man has been charged with second-degree murder after his father was found with stab wounds inside their family home and later died at a hospital, according to police and court records.
Yonkers police identified the victim as Hekmat Ahmad, 61, and his son as Rami Ahmad. Officers were called to 102 Smart Ave. at about 7:45 a.m. Sept. 28 after receiving a report of a stabbing. Police said officers found Hekmat Ahmad suffering from apparent stab wounds and provided emergency aid, including CPR. He was taken to Westchester Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
Detectives with the Yonkers Police Department’s Major Case Squad began investigating the death and identified Rami Ahmad as a suspect. Police said the younger Ahmad had been inside the residence when his father was attacked but left before officers arrived. Authorities then launched a search involving patrol officers, detectives, the Emergency Service Unit and neighboring law enforcement agencies.
Investigators used cameras and other information gathered during the search to track Ahmad’s movements, police said. Detectives determined that he had been traveling north along the South County Trail, prompting officers to concentrate their search in that area.
At about 11:13 a.m., less than four hours after the initial call, detectives located Ahmad near Kingston Avenue and Palmer Road. Police said he was taken into custody without incident with help from patrol officers. Authorities said a folding knife was recovered from him. Police have not publicly said whether forensic testing has linked that knife to the killing.
A criminal complaint filed in the case alleges that Hekmat Ahmad suffered multiple stab wounds. The complaint also says Rami Ahmad made statements to investigators about the stabbing while he was being interviewed at police headquarters later that day. The allegations contained in the complaint have not been proven in court.
Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza called the death a tragic incident and praised officers, detectives, emergency personnel and other law enforcement agencies that participated in the search. The rapid response led to Ahmad’s arrest the same morning as the stabbing.
Neighbors described the killing as a shock in the residential neighborhood. One resident who spoke with News 12 said he knew the family and had spoken with Hekmat Ahmad. Another neighbor interviewed by The Journal News described the elder Ahmad as a friendly neighbor who would wave hello. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive for the killing.
Rami Ahmad was arraigned in Yonkers City Court on Sept. 29 and ordered held in the Westchester County jail without bail, according to published reports citing court and jail records. Records and news reports have used both “Ahmad” and “Ahmed” for the family’s surname. He is due back in court Oct. 8.
The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Ahmad faces a charge of murder in the second degree. The charge is an accusation, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 3, 2026.