In a tragic turn of events on December 11, 2016, a 21-year-old Black male named Eric Assanah Jr. was found deceased in his South Ozone Park, Queens, home. Originally from Guyana, Assanah had been living in Queens and was discovered with a fatal gunshot wound to his chest. The scene of the crime was particularly harrowing as Assanah was in bed beside his girlfriend, Amanda Gajraj, when the incident occurred.
In the hours leading up to his death, a sense of fear had reportedly consumed him, prompting a final, desperate voicemail to his father in Guyana simply stating, 'I'm scared.'
The investigation into the homicide quickly uncovered a dispute over money as the catalyst for the violent act. It was alleged that Gajraj had stolen $1,200, which led to threats against both her and Assanah's lives if the money was not returned. This dispute is believed to have culminated in a home invasion by four individuals. The intruders entered Assanah's bedroom where he was sleeping and he was shot in the chest. His girlfriend awoke to the nightmarish scene of him bleeding to death as the assailants fled.
In the days following the murder, law enforcement made progress in bringing the perpetrators to justice. One of the suspects, 21-year-old Jonathan Chan, turned himself in to the 106th Precinct. Chan, who had a history of prior arrests, was charged with murder, burglary, and resisting arrest. Soon after, a second suspect, 21-year-old Shamar Daley, was also taken into custody and faced charges of murder and burglary. While two individuals were apprehended, the police continued their search for the two other suspects involved in the fatal home invasion.
