Maritza E. Ovsak, a 54-year-old female, died on July 7, 2017, in her home in Kerhonkson, New York. Deputies from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office discovered her body after being asked to perform a welfare check when her husband, 70-year-old Juan C. Ovsak, did not show up for work.
Upon entering the residence on Sage's Loop Road, authorities found both Maritza and her husband deceased. Both individuals appeared to have sustained a single, fatal gunshot wound. A preliminary investigation into the deaths led authorities to believe that no other individuals were involved in the incident, which was described as an apparent murder-suicide.
Maritza was born in San Salvador, El Salvador, and had been a resident of Kerhonkson for over three decades. She was a dedicated advocate in her community, working as a Bilingual Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocate for the Worker Justice Center of New York, where she supported immigrant families. Her work was highly respected, and she was remembered as a ray of light and hope for the many lives she touched.
