On a summer afternoon in Brooklyn, the life of 39-year-old Stephanie Perkins was tragically cut short. On June 27, 2020, Perkins and 23-year-old Chioteke Thompson were sitting on the stoop of her home on Van Siclen Street in East New York when a gunman approached them. The assailant, disguised in a blonde wig and a long coat, opened fire with a high-capacity rifle, killing both Perkins and Thompson at the scene.
After the initial barrage, the shooter stepped over their bodies, entered the residence, and fired more shots on the first floor before fleeing. The brazen daylight attack left the community in shock and mourning.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly identified a suspect, Charles Hernandez, then 47, of East New York. Evidence suggested that the victims were targeted because of their relationship with a man with whom Hernandez had an ongoing dispute. The attack also endangered others in the vicinity, including a child and other residents inside Perkins' home. Following a manhunt, Hernandez was apprehended on July 9, 2020, in West Virginia by the Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Charles Hernandez was subsequently charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and one count of first-degree reckless endangerment. His murderous spree was not limited to the deaths of Perkins and Thompson. Investigators also linked him to the June 20, 2020, shooting death of 35-year-old Kenneth Singleton in East New York. A co-defendant, Liza Jenkins, 52, was also charged for her role in assisting Hernandez after the first homicide.
Following a jury trial, Charles Hernandez was convicted on May 21, 2025, for the murders. The court sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would be held accountable for the devastating loss of three lives. Liza Jenkins was also convicted of second-degree hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence following a bench trial on May 22, 2025, and awaited sentencing for her part in the tragic events.
