Stacy Singh, 26: Was Killed By Her Husband in Violent Murder-Suicide
On New Year’s Eve 2017, 26-year-old Stacy Singh had no idea the day would be her last. She and her husband, 46-year-old Vinny Loknath, had been arguing all evening. Loknath was partying hard, including doing cocaine. The Queens couple had a history of domestic violence. Loknath had even been arrested just months prior to attacking Singh. There was an order of protection against him until October 2019, but they had recently reconciled.
Family and friends were hoping that Stacy Singh would leave her husband, but, according to her brother, she thought she could work things out for the sake of the family.
“(He) was very abusive to her,” Romain Shaw, Singh’s brother-in-law, said. “She stayed with him no matter what because they had two kids together. She was hoping for him to change, but he never did.”
Now, their five-year-old son and one-year-old daughter are without both parents after Loknath committed a brutal murder-suicide.
Loknath’s mother received a bizarre phone call from her son. He told her that he didn’t want to be buried but cremated. At 11:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day, his body was found hanging in Forest Park. Three hours later, police visited the couple’s home, just one and a half miles from the park, and found Singh’s bloody body face down. She had been stabbed repeatedly in the back.
When Stacy’s sister received the news, she rushed to the murder scene and collapsed.
“He was so drunk, so very drunk,” said Shaw. “He always beat her up when he went home high.”
Neighbors said that Loknath worked as a construction worker, but they often just saw him sitting on his porch steps, chain-smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.
“[Stacy Singh] was a very sweet person,” said Shaw. “She was a very generous, caring person. She loved her children very much, spent every penny on them. They were her world.”
This murder-suicide marked the first murder in the city in 2018. Our condolences to all family and friends involved. A GoFundMe page was launched on behalf of the family and has raised thousands of dollars to help with funeral costs and for the children.
If you or anyone you know needs help with domestic violence and abuse, please call 1-800-799-7233 for assistance.
Please share this story about Stacy Singh to continue the discussion about domestic violence and the importance of protecting both men and women in abusive relationships. Stacy was our sister, and her life mattered.
