Executive Summary
- Justin Tetro, 51, was found dead in his Cypress Hills apartment on Dec. 11.
- Police discovered the victim with head and neck trauma during a wellness check.
- The Medical Examiner has officially ruled the death a homicide.
- No arrests have been made, and the investigation is active.
Police in Brooklyn have launched a homicide investigation following the discovery of a 51-year-old man found dead in his apartment last week, according to law enforcement officials.
Officers from the 75th Precinct responded to a request for a wellness check at 21 Pennsylvania Avenue in Cypress Hills shortly before 11:05 a.m. on December 11. Upon entering the residence, police discovered the tenant, identified as Justin Tetro, unconscious and unresponsive. According to the police report, Tetro exhibited visible trauma to his head and neck. Emergency medical services pronounced him dead at the scene.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy which concluded that the manner of death was homicide, authorities announced on Monday. As of this report, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Crime statistics for the 75th Precinct indicate that there have been 13 reported homicides year-to-date through December 14, representing an increase of one incident compared to the same period in 2024.
Investigative Outlook
The reclassification of this suspicious death as a homicide marks a critical shift in the case, mobilizing detective squads to identify a perpetrator. Investigators are likely focusing on forensic evidence recovered from the apartment and canvassing the Cypress Hills neighborhood for surveillance footage or witnesses who may have seen activity around the time of the incident. With no suspects currently in custody, law enforcement is urging anyone with information to contact authorities, though no specific threat to the broader community has been articulated at this stage.
