Report: Death of man on East 4th Street ruled a homicide 11 years later

On Sept. 15, 2005, firefighters found a badly injured Serafin Vasquez inside his fire-scorched apartment at 120 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. According to published reports, Vasquez had burns to his arms, legs and torso, and stab wounds to his head and body. He died six months later at age 60.

Now, per the Daily News:

The city Medical Examiner initially concluded the cause of death was undetermined.

In March of this year, a detective reviewing the case, which remained open, realized Vasquez’s death certificate failed to label the death a homicide, according to a police source.

The Medical Examiner’s said the case was reopened and the death was reclassified as a homicide in light of “investigative information."

No arrests have been made.

According to a Post article published on Sept. 17, 2005:

Cops said that Vasquez had been communicating until recently with a younger woman who was in jail on drug charges and that they thought he had sent her money.

She was being sought for interrogation last night.

Neighbors reported hearing a loud argument, in Spanish, coming from Vasquez’s apartment at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Then the smell of smoke began creeping through the hallway.

One building resident said that Vasquez "was a really great guy. He would help you out in a second. He was the best kind of neighbor."