Bed-Stuy Man Arrested For Shooting Girlfriend In 2005, Police Say

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT, BROOKLYN -- A man who murdered his girlfriend near her 3-year-old daughter more than a decade ago was arrested in Bed-Stuy Tuesday morning, according to police and prosecutors.

Police nabbed Julius Esquilin, 36, in his Patchen Avenue home and charged him with fatally shooting 22-year-old Desiree Coffield in the head at 642 Greene Ave. on Feb. 19, 2005, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.

“The victim in this case was a young mother of two little girls who was allegedly taken from them by this defendant," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. "We are a step closer to obtaining justice for Desiree, as well as her family and friends.”

A neighbor heard Esquilin and Coffield fighting the night of the murder, heard a gunshot and the woman's daughter crying, "Mommy, Mommy," prosecutors said.

Another neighbor called 911 when Esquilin banged on the door and shouted, “I know you heard that; call the police.”

Esquilin, who waited for emergency responders to arrive at the apartment, proceeded to scream, break picture frames and jumped on the victim’s body in front of them, said prosecutors.

Police found Coffield on a couch with a gunshot wound in her head and her 3-year-old daughter and 4-year-old nephew were awake in a nearby bedroom, prosecutors said.

Investigators found a .380 caliber shell casing, a matching live round and a note signed by the defendant, that said, “Even if I am gone I still love all of my daughters and my big mouth baby mother, Julius.”

The Bed-Stuy man was arraigned on charges of murder, criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child in Brooklyn Criminal Court Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors said.

Esquilin was held without bail and is expected to return to court on Dec. 12, according to prosecutors. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Photo by Renee Schiavone/Patch