An enraged husband savagely beat a would-be rapist to death with a tire iron after the man went after his wife inside their Bronx apartment, police sources said Tuesday.
Career criminal Earl Nash became a crime statistic Monday night in a violent throwdown with Mamadou Diallo inside an elevator at the Claremont Village apartment building, source said.
Nash, 43, was bolting from the apartment when the 61-year-old Diallo arrived — rushing to the building after a phone call from his anguished wife, sources said.
Diallo chased Nash into an sixth-floor elevator, where a violent battle ensued. Sources said Nash was beating Diallo with a belt as the husband bashed him in the head and body with the tire iron.
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Nash suffered a fractured skull, and died at Lincoln Hospital.
Diallo’s brother insisted that Nash instigated the lethal brawl.
“The guy punched him, he started fighting,” Ibrahima Diallo, 52, told the Daily News. “... This man said he’s gonna kill him, kill his family.”
Earl Nash died from what police called “severe trauma to the head and body.”
Earl Nash was beaten to death by the husband of the 51-year-old woman he attacked in the Bronx.
Earl Nash (pictured) died from what police called “severe trauma to the head and body.”Cab driver Mamadou Diallo instead killed Nash, who minutes earlier was inside the family’s apartment with his pants pulled down, sources said.
Nash had 19 prior arrests, and was released from prison just last year after serving nine years for bribery and drug possession.
Diallo, a native of Guinea in West Africa, was charged with manslaughter in the death, officials said.
Neighbors in the building defended Diallo’s response to the attack on his 51-year-old wife.
“He has a right to defend his wife,” said Katiatou Diallo, 38, who was not related to Mamadou. “What are you going to do if somebody comes in and tries to rape your wife?”
Amadu Kamara said Diallo was a quiet man who never caused any problems in the building.
Diallo was arrested after killing his wife's attacker at their home at 1240 Washington Ave. in the Bronx.
Diallo was arrested after killing his wife's attacker at their home at 1240 Washington Ave. in the Bronx. (DAVID TORRES )
“He seemed like a fine gentleman,” said Kamara, 47. “He’s a hard-working person. You don’t see him getting into any kind of trouble.”
According to Ibrahima Diallo, his brother’s wife and a female cousin fought with Nash for 20 minutes after he banged on the apartment door and forced his way inside.
“He came in and punched her,” said Ibrahima Diallo. “He came in, locked the door and started fighting.”
Police sources said that Nash dropped his pants, exposing himself, before trying to tear off the woman’s clothes. The wife fought him off, called her husband in his cab, and he rushed into the building.
Nash was paroled from prison on July 20, 2015. His most recent arrest was May 14 for aggravated harassment, source said.
His previous arrests included drugs, arson, unlawful imprisonment, robbery and assault.