Queens Woman Shot Dead by Fugitive Fiancé, Body Left to Decay for Two Weeks

Angelique Apostol, 38, was found decomposed in her fiancé's St. Albans home two weeks after her death. Suspect Mark Washington, with 11 prior arrests, remains at large.

Domestic Violence Shelter Worker Killed by Fiancé, Who Remains a Fugitive

Angelique Apostol, 38, a Queens woman who worked at a domestic violence shelter in upstate New York, was fatally shot in the head by her fiancé — and her body was left undiscovered for nearly two weeks, according to the NYPD and her sister. NY Post Metro reports that the suspect, Mark Washington, has 11 prior arrests and remains at large.

Apostol was found lifeless inside Washington's home in St. Albans on June 24. She had last been seen alive on June 10, the same day the couple had planned to attend Game 4 of the Knicks' championship run at Madison Square Garden.

"They were seen on the Ring camera from neighbors returning together, and then him leaving the residence, maybe like a half-an-hour, 45 minutes later without her and his belongings," said Apostol's sister, Melanie Apostol, 37.

By the time investigators found her, Apostol's body was so badly decomposed that the gunshot wound to her head was not immediately visible, according to police and sources. Melanie identified her sister through tattoos bearing her children's names.

"I know he discarded her and he shot her in the face, which was intentional because we couldn't even say goodbye to her," Melanie said. "We couldn't have an open casket, and he left her there like roadkill. So I'm asking… if anybody can help or locate this person or their whereabouts, any type of information, please, I'm begging."

On the day of the alleged murder, the couple had attended a charity event together, Melanie said. Nothing in their public life had suggested the relationship was in danger.

"That was her fiancé, and that's all I really knew about her relationship," Melanie said. "We thought everything was, you know, fine because they posted so many TikToks together. They were always with each other. She trusted him and she did love him, and she would have never suspected that he would have done anything like this."

The two sisters frequently posted on TikTok together and had even shared a video of the engagement on the platform.

Melanie described her sister as devoted to family and community. Angelique regularly cared for Melanie's four children — ages 17, 14, 11 and 5 — the two youngest of whom are on the autism spectrum.

"She [signed up for] home health aide classes for me… she didn't have to be a home health aide, but she signed up for it so that she could help me with my two special needs children," Melanie said. "She didn't have any children on her own. She took care of everyone's children."

Apostol also volunteered to hand out soup to the homeless at the Staten Island Ferry terminal last winter. She divided her time between her sister's Staten Island home, Washington's St. Albans residence, and upstate New York, where she worked at the domestic violence shelter.

"She worked in a domestic violence shelter — which is the ironic part about it," Melanie said.

Washington's criminal history is extensive. It includes an attempted murder charge stemming from a February 19, 2002 shooting that injured a 41-year-old man in Queens, though the disposition of that case was not immediately clear. He also served more than two years in state prison on a first-degree reckless endangerment conviction, from September 2019 through February 2022, according to state corrections records.

Nearly three months after Apostol's body was discovered, Washington has not been apprehended. The NYPD has released photos of the suspect and is asking the public for help.

"We've been sitting patiently, trying to figure out what to do. Everyone is in a standstill. No one knows how to move forward," Melanie said.

Anyone with information on Washington's whereabouts is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish speakers. Tips can also be submitted online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or via X at @NYPDTips.

Source: NY Post Metro