On what should have been a joyous Mother's Day in 2017, a quiet Queens neighborhood was shattered by a brazen act of violence that claimed the life of 38-year-old Robert Cuvilly. The male victim, a resident of Brookville, was ambushed and fatally shot in the head outside of his home on 144th Avenue on the morning of May 14th. The tragic event unfolded around 8:30 a.m. as Cuvilly was getting out of a vehicle. Another man who was with him at the time, Antonio Leon, was also struck by gunfire, sustaining a wound to his stomach but ultimately surviving the attack.
Surveillance footage from the area painted a chilling picture of the moments leading up to the deadly encounter. A light-colored, two-door Mercedes Benz was seen circling the block before parking nearby. A man then exited the vehicle and was observed pacing in front of Cuvilly's residence for approximately two hours, seemingly waiting for his target to emerge. The gunman opened fire as Cuvilly stepped out of his family's vehicle, inflicting the fatal wound in a sudden and brutal assault. Cuvilly’s wife and children were inside the house at the time of the shooting. His daughter reportedly rushed outside to render aid to her father in his final moments.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the New York Police Department launched an investigation and appealed to the public for assistance in identifying the assailant. The suspect was described as a Black male, believed to be between 21 and 35 years old, with a slim build, standing between 5-feet-8 inches and 5-feet-11 inches tall, and weighing between 160 and 180 pounds. He was seen fleeing the scene in the silver Mercedes Benz CLK 320 sedan with New York license plates.
Despite the existence of surveillance footage and a description of the suspect, the case has remained unsolved. Detectives have highlighted the suspect's distinctive walk as a potential key to his identification and have released extended video clips to the public in the hope that someone will recognize him or the getaway car. As of late 2025, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Robert Cuvilly, leaving his family and community still seeking justice for the senseless act of violence that took his life on a day meant for celebration. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.
