ADDITIONAL CHARGES: A 33-year-old man, Kenwood Allen, who has been indicted for a drugging, robbery and larceny spree, is facing three new murder charges, including one for the death of fashion designer Katie Gallagher.
Announcing the indictment Thursday, Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. said there were 21 victims in total, including the deaths of five people between March and December 2022.
According to court documents and statements made on the record, between March 18 and Dec. 18, 2022, Allen committed a series of robberies and other crimes throughout lower Manhattan, sometimes alone and sometimes with other individuals. In most of the incidents, Allen drugged his victims with fentanyl and other opioids in order to steal their credit cards, watches, phones and other personal identifying information. Many of the victims were later found unconscious on the street. He would then withdraw cash from ATMs and use the stolen credit cards to make purchases and transfer money.
Last month, one of Gallagher’s sisters Lara said her family had been working closely with the district attorney’s office and New York Police Department officials. Asked for comment Thursday, she referenced an issued statement friom the family that described the second indictment as “a necessary next step toward seeking justice for Katie. Knowing that he can’t hurt anyone else provides comfort during this difficult time.”
The statement noted, “Katie was targeted just outside of her home by Kenwood Allen, a stranger to her. We hope that the facts of this case help to bring more awareness to fentanyl and similar drugs being used as weapons against innocent people. The number of victims confirmed at this point is shocking. Our hearts go out to them, their families, and their friends. We are gutted by the magnitude of this collective and senseless loss.”
It concluded with, “While we wait and welcome developments that may provide some closure and accountability, we will continue to focus our energy on Katie’s life and legacy. She was a talented, ambitious, and beloved designer and artist. Having just returned to NYC last spring, she was excited for the future and new opportunities.”
The Gallagher family held a memorial for Katie Gallagher last month in New York City.
Katie Gallagher’s fashions are displayed on mannequins during the memorial service held for NYC designer Katie Gallagher on May 18, 2023,in New York City. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images)
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Lara Gallagher and Marlee Gallagher speak during the memorial service held for NYC Designer Katie Gallagher on May 18, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images)
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Atmosphere at the memorial service held for NYC Designer Katie Gallagher on May 18, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images)
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The 33-year-old fashion designer had been found unconscious and unresponsive in the bedroom her Eldridge Street apartment on July 24 of last year. There were no signs of trauma, according to a NYPD police report. The New York City chief medical examiner’s office later determined that she had died of acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl and ethanol.
NYPD deferred any comment Thursday to Bragg’s office.
The suspect Allen was first indicted in December for two of the murders. The additional three crimes were allegedly committed on July 22, July 23 and Aug. 6.
Charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment, Allen faces 10 counts of murder in the second degree, 13 counts of robbery in the first degree, two counts of robbery in the second degree, 11 counts of assault in the second degree, two counts of attempted robbery in the first degree, three counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree, three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree.
Bragg said in a statement Thursday, “These alleged pernicious drugging and robbery schemes have left far too many families mourning the loss of their loved ones. The careful and meticulous work of our prosecutors and the NYPD has led us to charge this individual with a spree of criminal conduct that now includes five murders — four of which took place over a mere 15 days last summer. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to aggressively uncover and investigate these incidents.”
Bragg’s office has “a distinct ongoing investigation into a pattern of robberies and druggings in Hell’s Kitchen,” which had led to a separate murder and conspiracy indictment in April, according to a press release issued Thursday.
Source: WWD