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Astoria resident beaten to death by roommate in upscale Astoria apartment

Astoria NW 2Jan. 13, 2015 By Michael Florio

An Astoria man was beaten to death yesterday by his 18-year-old roommate in an upscale Astoria apartment complex.

Jesse Smith, 29, suffered severe head trauma after his roommate, Quentin Capobianco, beat him in the head with a hammer inside their Exo Astoria apartment, located at 26-38 21st Street, according to police.

Police responded to a call on Monday night, at roughly 5:30 pm, and found Jesse Smith, 29, on the couch with severe head injuries.

EMS transported the Smith to Elmhurst Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Capobianco has been arrested and is being charged with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the forth degree.

Investigators believe the roommates may have been arguing about money, an NYPD spokesman said.

The Exo is an upscale apartment complex where one-bedroom apartments rent for about $2,750.

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AstoriaNative

The area is far from upscale but that is def a ‘luxary’ building in the area. I live down the block.

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Neighborhood Guy

Mr. Florio, what does that amount of the rent and the bldg. being “upscale” have anything to do w/ this guy being murdered? Is there a rent scale and type of bldg. where ppl are usually murdered? I just don’t get that last line…makes absolutely no sense at all.

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