A Queens, New York man of Guyanese heritage was stabbed to death on Tuesday last in a street robbery.
The dead man has been identified as Andrew Cunje, 25, of Hollis, Queens. His family hails from Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara.
News reports from New York City stated that Cunje was attacked by two robbers on 197th St. and Carpenter Ave. in Hollis, Queens at around 8:40 p.m. According to the New York Daily News, subsequent to the stabbing, Cunje was left lying on the street a few hundred feet from his home.
Cunje was stabbed multiple times in the chest before the pair fled with his wallet and backpack, sources said.
The two suspects wore black hooded sweaters and black jackets and in a video released by New York Police the pair was walking side by side along a sidewalk, both with their hands in their pockets, prior to launching the attack.
After reviewing surveillance footage, police busted prime suspect Raymond Kenner, 22, at The Hotel Wolcott, which houses homeless people who have just been released from jail or prison. Kenner was arrested at the shelter alongside reputed gang member Alexander Stephens, 31, an alleged accomplice in the Cunje slaying.
The New York News outlet reported that two days later, Kenner allegedly stabbed Benjamin Bulux, 29, a cook at a Manhattan deli in the back and chest near 89th Ave. and 150th St. in Jamaica, New York.
As detectives investigated both killings, they realized Bulux’s killer resembled a suspect in Cunje’s death, and was wearing similar clothing, police sources said.
They zeroed in on Kenner after learning that he was living at The Wolcott before the killings, sources said. When detectives showed up at the hotel on Wednesday, Kenner was there, along with Stephens, trying to retrieve items they left inside.
Stephens also matched the footage from the Cunje killing, and Kenner was wearing clothing similar to the suspect in both slayings, police sources said.
Stephens, a reputed member of the Mac Ballers gang, was released on parole July 28 in a robbery and attempted robbery in May 2019 for which he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years, police sources said. Kenner, who also has a past robbery arrest, was free without bail as he awaited sentencing for a 2019 assault in a correction facility arrest, the sources added.
The men were charged with murder, robbery, tampering with physical evidence and weapon possession in Cunje’s killing. They are awaiting arraignment in the Queens criminal court.
In a subsequent news report, a brother Jai Cunje said “They deserve it,” after the suspects were apprehended.
“They deserve to suffer the way we did as a family. They shouldn’t be allowed to be on the streets ever,” the grieving brother said.
“He was literally the sweetest kid,” said another sibling Adrian Cunje. “He was a softie, wouldn’t raise his hands to fight anyone. He was probably scared, frozen with fear,” he added.
Many relatives from Guyana and Canada are currently visiting New York as the family was preparing for a Christmas reunion after they were unable to meet due to the pandemic.
“He was really looking forward to spending time with family,” Adrian lamented adding “But that went out the window when he didn’t come home.”
