In the early hours of September 6, 2014, in North Tonawanda, New York, 31-year-old Daniel 'DJ' Szymanski was found shot to death alongside 38-year-old Paul Maue. The two men were discovered in a car parked near the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club on Oliver Street. Both Szymanski and Maue had associations with the motorcycle club.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly pointed to internal conflicts within the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club. Authorities identified Andre Jenkins, also known as 'Little Bear,' as the gunman. The investigation revealed that the national president of the club, David Pirk, had ordered the killings. Jenkins was arrested in Georgia weeks after the murders and extradited back to New York to face charges. Pirk was also taken into custody.
Andre Jenkins was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. The subsequent trial brought to light the violent nature of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club, exposing it as a criminal enterprise involved in drug trafficking and violence. Both Jenkins and Pirk were convicted in connection with the murders of Szymanski and Maue. A jury found Jenkins guilty of carrying out the execution-style slayings, and an appeals court later upheld his life sentence, deeming it 'not unduly harsh or severe.' David Pirk was convicted of ordering the killings as part of a broader racketeering case.
