By Tuan Nguyen, Trevor Kapp and Wil Cruz
DNAinfo Staff
QUEENS — An 89-year-old man was found murdered with his hands bound and his face beaten inside his Corona home Monday morning.
Police believe the popular supermarket owner was possibly the victim of a home invasion, a source said.
Demaso Llano was found lying on his back unconscious in the foyer of his 95-19 43rd Ave. home by his caretaker about 8:30 a.m., police said.
"When I got here this morning, the door was open," said Roberto Pena, 51, Llano's caretaker. "I saw him on the floor, with two hands tied on his chest."
He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the NYPD.
"We're all grieving now," said a sobbing Eddie Llano, 51, the victim's son. "He was a very nice human being."
No one has been arrested.
The medical examiner's office, who will officially determine the cause of death, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Llano, who emigrated from Cuba, co-owned El Mundo Supermarket at 42-16 Junction Blvd. for decades, friends said.
"He's been a good business partner for more than 40 years," said Juan Vizcaino, 52, the supermarket's manager.
Locals said Llano went to Atlantic City to gamble every Sunday, but they never got the impression that he won big. Pena said he and Llano had gone gambling Sunday and returned home about 8:40 p.m.
"We heard of him losing several times, but never heard of him winning big," said Lucy Schilero, president of Coalition of United Residents for a Safer Community, a local advocate community group.
"He's a very nice guy, very generous to people around him and the neighborhood," she said. "He doesn't have any enemies here."
Llano had an open-door policy at work, but he kept his personal life private and rarely had visitors over, friends said.
"He never let strangers into his house," Schilero said. "A very intelligent man. He lives alone but always had company."
Police could not say if anything was taken from Llano's home.
