QUEENS — A handyman got into a fight with his boss over money and held him down with a piece of plastic from a shed until he stopped moving, then robbed him of his diamond ring, police sources said Monday.
Rahmatullah Popal, 21, may be facing upgraded charges after the Medical Examiner’s office ruled that the death of Kevin Lopyan, 56, was a homicide, the sources said.
Lopyan's existing heart condition was aggravated by the fight, causing his death, Medical Examiner spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said.
The boss was found in the basement of his home on 77th Avenue, near Vleight Place, in Kew Gardens Hills with head trauma, after the Popal called 911, police said.
According to the criminal complaint, Popal told investigators that Lopyan owed him $200, and he went to his house to collect the money.
He also told police that the victim gave him a blank check and threw him out of the house, according to court documents. Popal then allegedly broke into the house through the basement.
When Lopyan saw him, according to the complaint, he started screaming "Robber, robber."
The men then began fighting.
Popal allegedly told investigators that during the physical altercation, he picked up a piece of plastic roofing from a shed and shoved Lopyan away with it. The victim then hit his head on the door and fell to the floor, court documents said.
Popal also told detectives that Lopyan had a seizure and that "he held the victim down with the piece of the shed until the victim stopped moving," according to the complaint.
Popal then fled the location and called 911, sources said.
The victim, court documents read, was found with what "appeared to be a piece of a plastic roof from a shed on top of his body."
Popal was arrested about 20 blocks away, near a gas station on Main Street, where police sources said he refused to leave.
Popal was charged with obstructing governmental administration, disorderly conduct and tampering with evidence.
Sources said that while he was being questioned, he swallowed an object, which he told police was heroin. The suspect was then taken to Queens General Hospital for treatment. It was not immediately clear whether Popal indeed swallowed heroin.
Sources said that police found the victim's credit card, blank check and diamond ring in Popal's pockets, and charged him with robbery, burglary and criminal possession of stolen property the following day.
Popal had several prior arrests in 2014, including for criminal possession of stolen property and robbery. The results of those cases were not immediately clear.
Last December, he was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and was due back in court on March 12.
Sources said that Popal is expected to be hit with additional charges during his next court appearance.
Attempts to reach his attorney were not immediately successful.
