A Long Island community is in shock after a mother of three was found dead in her home, her face severely burned, in what police describe as a horrific and calculated killing carried out by her estranged husband.
Authorities say 46-year-old Aleena Asif, a certified public accountant, was murdered inside her Herricks home on October 17. Police believe her husband, 53-year-old Asif Qureshi, had been stalking her for days, waiting for the moment to strike—just a week after being served with divorce papers.
Qureshi was arrested later that same day at a residence in Bellerose, Queens, where he had been living apart from the family. He is charged with second-degree murder, though prosecutors are now seeking to upgrade the charges to first-degree.
According to Nassau County Police, Aleena had just returned home after dropping off the couple’s 7-year-old daughter at school when Qureshi attacked her. She was alone at the time. Hours later, her eldest daughter, 18, called police for a welfare check when her mother failed to pick up the youngest child from school. Officers discovered Aleena unconscious and not breathing, with severe chemical burns on her face.
The medical examiner ruled her death as asphyxiation caused by an unknown “cyanide-like” substance.
“On the 17th, we have him showing up, waiting for the right opportunity—waiting for his wife to drop off the kids—and then assaulting her and killing her,” Nassau Police Detective Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick told reporters during a press conference.
Court records reveal that Aleena had previously filed for divorce in 2023. Although the couple briefly reconciled in 2024, she filed again earlier this year. When Qureshi was served papers at his Queens residence on October 9, he reportedly refused to accept them and began showing up near her home in the days that followed.
Police also confirmed a troubling history of domestic incidents between the two. Officers had been called to the couple’s home five times—four times involving Aleena and once involving their eldest daughter. While most of the arguments were financial, Fitzpatrick said Qureshi once threatened to “make her swallow bleach.” Despite these calls, no orders of protection were ever filed.
Qureshi, who was born in Pakistan but is a U.S. citizen, appeared in court on Friday, where a judge ordered he be held without bail.
The couple’s three children—an 18-year-old daughter, a 14-year-old son, and a 7-year-old daughter—are now staying with relatives as the investigation continues.
What makes this case especially heartbreaking is that Aleena had been trying to rebuild her life, seeking safety and stability for herself and her children. Instead, she became another tragic victim of domestic violence—an issue that continues to devastate families across the country.
