In the Bronx, a 19-year-old male named Jose Hart was found deceased in his first-floor apartment on Southern Boulevard on Sunday, November 20, 2016. His mother made the tragic discovery upon returning home from church, finding him in his bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso. Emergency medical services were called, but Hart was pronounced dead at the scene.
Friends and family were left devastated, gathering to light candles for the young man they called 'Fratz,' who they said was trying to get his high school diploma.
The investigation into the homicide revealed a complex plot born from betrayal and greed. Detectives learned that the motive was a robbery gone wrong, targeting a $50,000 settlement Hart's mother had recently won from a car accident lawsuit. Hart had apparently been boasting about the money to several people, including a 20-year-old woman he was involved with, Kayla Moreno. The situation escalated when Hart shared a sexually explicit video of himself and Moreno, which angered her. In retaliation, she allegedly orchestrated a plan with several men to rob Hart of the settlement money.
In the early hours of November 20, Moreno was with Hart at his apartment. Just after 3 a.m., as she left, she let three men into the building. The men, who were seen on surveillance video, entered Hart's apartment to commit the robbery. During the confrontation, a struggle broke out between Hart and the intruders, and he was fatally shot. The assailants then ransacked the apartment, fleeing with a television set, a PlayStation console, Hart's jacket, sneakers, and cellphone. They did not find the lawsuit money, as Hart's mother had not yet collected the funds. Moreno later told police that the plan was only supposed to be a robbery and that the men informed her they shot Hart after he tried to grab the gun.
The investigation led to several arrests. Kayla Moreno was charged with murder, robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon for her role in planning the crime. Another woman, Amanda Tejada, was identified as the getaway driver and was also arrested. Police identified the men who entered the apartment as Andy Encarnacion and Matthew Wulah. Following their arrests, both men eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in March 2019. In April 2019, Andy Encarnacion was sentenced to 17 years in prison, while Matthew Wulah received a sentence of 16 years. The cases against Moreno and other potential co-defendants were reported as still pending at the time of the sentencing.
