FAMILY OF 4 SLAUGHTERED
By LORENA MONGELLI, JEANE MacINTOSH and TODD VENEZIA
January 15, 2005 -- BLOODBATH:Investigators remove the bodies of the Armanious family from their Jersey City home yesterday as an uncle, Ayman Garas, weeps at the scene (inset). Michael DaltonLEAP OF FAITH:Amal Garas and her husband, Hossam Armanious ? in a family photo with their daughters, Monica (left) and Sylvia ? had moved to Jersey City after fleeing religious persecution in Egypt. A family of Christians who fled persecution in Egypt ran into a bloody nightmare in Jersey City ? where the husband, wife and their two daughters were found knifed to death in their home yesterday, authorities said.
The bodies of Hossam Armanious, 46, his wife, Amal Garas, 36, and their two young daughters ? Sylvia, 15, and Monica, 8 ? were found gagged with their throats slit at 4 a.m. yesterday inside the green, two-story, wood-frame home they had moved into five years ago.
Investigators were struggling to figure out who could have slaughtered the religiously devout family ? and why.
Jersey City Police Chief Robert Troy said police are leaning toward the suspect being at least an acquaintance, after finding no sign of a break-in.
"I don't believe it was random," he said. "They probably knew their killers."
The bloody scene of horror was discovered after relatives who had not seen Armanious and his wife for days grew worried and went to police.
Garas' brother, Ayman, led cops up to the entrance of the two-family Oakland Avenue home, which the family bought in 2000 for $95,000.
He gave cops permission to break open the door, which they did. A heinous scene was revealed in which the husband, wife and two girls were found slaughtered in separate rooms, Ayman said.
Family members who had identified the loved ones' bodies said their faces were contorted in a way that indicated they put up a fierce struggle.
Police said they believe the family was killed between 36 and 46 hours before their bodies were found. The last time that anyone had seen any of them was when one of the children was spotted at school Tuesday, cops said.
"It's a terrible, terrible crime scene," Chief Troy said.
"This hearkens back to 40 years ago, 'In Cold Blood,' " said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, referring to the 1959 slaying of four members of a Kansas family, which led to an acclaimed book and movie of the same name.
The loss left Ayman Garas stunned.
"We're a close family," he told reporters. "It's very sad, I never expected my sister was going to be killed ? and her husband and her kids."
Armanious and his wife came from Luxor, Egypt, in 1995, pals said.
Relatives said he came here looking for a good job and a good place to raise his then-only daughter.
"They took risks getting here looking for a better life," said Emile Garas, 60, an uncle of Amal.
Rafique Iscandar, 51, who described himself as Armanious' best friend, said his pal also came because of the pressure of being Christian in Muslim Egypt.
Armanious saw extremism growing in Luxor, Iscandar said, even in the days before the terrible 1997 massacre of tourists at the ancient temple there, which killed 58.
"They were afraid there," Iscandar said. "They are under siege by the government. We lived in fear."
After the family moved to the United States, Armanious got a job working in a convenience store owned by Iscandar.
But Armanious had other dreams.
With a degree from a Luxor University in hotel management, he got a job as a catering manager at a Marriott, Iscandar said.
Things started looking up for the family. They had a second daughter. Garas got a job with the U.S. Postal Service in Kearny, N.J. They bought the two-family home, which provided an opportunity for extra income from an upstairs apartment they could rent.
Iscandar said Armanious even joined with him in an effort to better the lives of his fellow Christians back in Luxor by working with a human-rights organization called the American Coptic Union.
They also were devout, churchgoing people who attended services at St. George and St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church.
"This is a shock," said Father Sorial Sorial, the pastor there. "I can't understand how evil can go to that extent."
The family had recently hit hard times, however. Armanious lost his hotel job about six months ago and tried to support his family with construction work. They were also the victims of a recent burglary, which left them frightened.
"After that they were very scared," Iscandar said. "They reinforced all their doors and windows."
Police said they were pursing "three avenues" of inquiry in the case. They would not give details, but Chief Troy told The Post, "There was a family living [at the family's home] previously that is being investigated."
Troy would not say if anyone was living in the rental apartment, but he said that police did not consider any possible ten ant there a suspect.
News of the death hit the family's neighborhood in Jersey City hard.
"I feel very, very bad," said Mohammed Riaz Khan, who lives across the street from the victims. "They were a nice family."
The family members had been with their extended clan most recently on Jan. 7, which was the Coptic Christmas celebration. Michael Fahmy, a family member said the clan planned to come together again today ? for Sylvia's Sweet 16 birthday party.
"It was supposed to be a big party," he said. "We reserved a big hall. We had to cancel everything today."
Brendon Echardt, 14, was a friend to Sylvia, a popular teen who loved acting.
He said news of her death came to an acting class she took at New Jersey City University via a text message received by one of her best friends. He said the news left classmates in tears.
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By LORENA MONGELLI, JEANE MacINTOSH and TODD VENEZIA
January 15, 2005 -- BLOODBATH:Investigators remove the bodies of the Armanious family from their Jersey City home yesterday as an uncle, Ayman Garas, weeps at the scene (inset). Michael DaltonLEAP OF FAITH:Amal Garas and her husband, Hossam Armanious ? in a family photo with their daughters, Monica (left) and Sylvia ? had moved to Jersey City after fleeing religious persecution in Egypt. A family of Christians who fled persecution in Egypt ran into a bloody nightmare in Jersey City ? where the husband, wife and their two daughters were found knifed to death in their home yesterday, authorities said.
The bodies of Hossam Armanious, 46, his wife, Amal Garas, 36, and their two young daughters ? Sylvia, 15, and Monica, 8 ? were found gagged with their throats slit at 4 a.m. yesterday inside the green, two-story, wood-frame home they had moved into five years ago.
Investigators were struggling to figure out who could have slaughtered the religiously devout family ? and why.
Jersey City Police Chief Robert Troy said police are leaning toward the suspect being at least an acquaintance, after finding no sign of a break-in.
"I don't believe it was random," he said. "They probably knew their killers."
The bloody scene of horror was discovered after relatives who had not seen Armanious and his wife for days grew worried and went to police.
Garas' brother, Ayman, led cops up to the entrance of the two-family Oakland Avenue home, which the family bought in 2000 for $95,000.
He gave cops permission to break open the door, which they did. A heinous scene was revealed in which the husband, wife and two girls were found slaughtered in separate rooms, Ayman said.
Family members who had identified the loved ones' bodies said their faces were contorted in a way that indicated they put up a fierce struggle.
Police said they believe the family was killed between 36 and 46 hours before their bodies were found. The last time that anyone had seen any of them was when one of the children was spotted at school Tuesday, cops said.
"It's a terrible, terrible crime scene," Chief Troy said.
"This hearkens back to 40 years ago, 'In Cold Blood,' " said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, referring to the 1959 slaying of four members of a Kansas family, which led to an acclaimed book and movie of the same name.
The loss left Ayman Garas stunned.
"We're a close family," he told reporters. "It's very sad, I never expected my sister was going to be killed ? and her husband and her kids."
Armanious and his wife came from Luxor, Egypt, in 1995, pals said.
Relatives said he came here looking for a good job and a good place to raise his then-only daughter.
"They took risks getting here looking for a better life," said Emile Garas, 60, an uncle of Amal.
Rafique Iscandar, 51, who described himself as Armanious' best friend, said his pal also came because of the pressure of being Christian in Muslim Egypt.
Armanious saw extremism growing in Luxor, Iscandar said, even in the days before the terrible 1997 massacre of tourists at the ancient temple there, which killed 58.
"They were afraid there," Iscandar said. "They are under siege by the government. We lived in fear."
After the family moved to the United States, Armanious got a job working in a convenience store owned by Iscandar.
But Armanious had other dreams.
With a degree from a Luxor University in hotel management, he got a job as a catering manager at a Marriott, Iscandar said.
Things started looking up for the family. They had a second daughter. Garas got a job with the U.S. Postal Service in Kearny, N.J. They bought the two-family home, which provided an opportunity for extra income from an upstairs apartment they could rent.
Iscandar said Armanious even joined with him in an effort to better the lives of his fellow Christians back in Luxor by working with a human-rights organization called the American Coptic Union.
They also were devout, churchgoing people who attended services at St. George and St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church.
"This is a shock," said Father Sorial Sorial, the pastor there. "I can't understand how evil can go to that extent."
The family had recently hit hard times, however. Armanious lost his hotel job about six months ago and tried to support his family with construction work. They were also the victims of a recent burglary, which left them frightened.
"After that they were very scared," Iscandar said. "They reinforced all their doors and windows."
Police said they were pursing "three avenues" of inquiry in the case. They would not give details, but Chief Troy told The Post, "There was a family living [at the family's home] previously that is being investigated."
Troy would not say if anyone was living in the rental apartment, but he said that police did not consider any possible ten ant there a suspect.
News of the death hit the family's neighborhood in Jersey City hard.
"I feel very, very bad," said Mohammed Riaz Khan, who lives across the street from the victims. "They were a nice family."
The family members had been with their extended clan most recently on Jan. 7, which was the Coptic Christmas celebration. Michael Fahmy, a family member said the clan planned to come together again today ? for Sylvia's Sweet 16 birthday party.
"It was supposed to be a big party," he said. "We reserved a big hall. We had to cancel everything today."
Brendon Echardt, 14, was a friend to Sylvia, a popular teen who loved acting.
He said news of her death came to an acting class she took at New Jersey City University via a text message received by one of her best friends. He said the news left classmates in tears.
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