The former fixture at a West Village guitar shop allegedly bludgeoned his girlfriend to death with an axe just days after being released from a psychiatric facility, sources said.
Dennis Guglielmo, 69, who helped open Carmine Street Guitars 20 years ago, slaughtered the woman, whose name was withheld, with both an axe and a knife in his Downing Street apartment at around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, according to law enforcement sources.
The 59-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
“His girlfriend lived uptown and was real sweet to him,” said neighbor Barbara Hoffman.
Friends said that Guglielmo was getting psychiatric care in Bellevue Hospital recently and the loving girlfriend had tried to have him released early.
“Last time I spoke to her she was talking about how she was fighting the doctors trying to get him out of Bellevue,” Rocky Vlado, 57, said. “He was released about 2 or 3 days ago.”
Bellevue Hospital did not immediately return a request for comment.
Others said that Guglielmo was friendly until something went wrong.
“I know he was on heavy meds and just didn’t seem like himself the last couple of weeks,” said neighbor Brian Weeks.
The current owner at Carmine Street Guitars said Guglielmo was not affiliated with the shop.
The suspect was awaiting charges Thursday night.