Vagrant quizzed as witness is charged in Queens slay

A homeless man first interviewed as a witness in a mysterious Queens death allegedly bludgeoned the victim and repeatedly bit him before choking him to death, the Daily News has learned.

Gyasi “Eli” Denis, 35, was arrested Saturday evening and charged with manslaughter, burglary, weapons possession, drug possession and possession of a stolen credit card in the death last Wednesday of Calvin Alexander.

Denis showed up at Alexander’s apartment on McBride St. near Regina Ave. in Far Rockaway about 12:44 a.m. and repeatedly struck him in the head and body with a wooden object and bit him all over his face and body, according to a criminal complaint.

The enraged man then choked Alexander, 64, to death, prosecutors said. Police believe an argument over money and drugs sparked the fatal confrontation.

Denis went back to Alexander’s apartment and stole his Bank of America debit card before police discovered Alexander’s body Saturday.

At first it wasn’t clear how the victim died, but the city medical examiner later determined the death was a homicide.

Denis was initially interviewed as a witness, but while being interviewed by police, he detailed the gruesome slaying, saying it lasted about 20 minutes. “I hit him with a wooden molding over his head. I kept hitting him,” prosecutors allege Denis said to police. “I was angry. I don’t know how I was holding [the weapon].”

Denis questioned whether he “maybe” stabbed Alexander and admitted he was “angry” while ranting to police, prosecutors said.

“He was bleeding like in the gore movies when the blood drips,” Denis allegedly said. “I was biting him on his cheek and all over his body.”

Following an arraignment in Queens Criminal Court, Denis was held without bail. He has no criminal history in New York City, cops said.