On a Father's Day morning that would soon turn tragic, 17-year-old Jennifer Mejia was working her shift at Haven Drugs pharmacy in Medford, New York. The Bellport High School senior, who was just days away from her graduation and prom, had dreams of a future in the medical field. That morning, on June 19, 2011, a man named David Laffer entered the pharmacy with the intent to rob it of prescription painkillers to feed his addiction.
Laffer, disguised with a fake beard and sunglasses, shot
and killed Jennifer and the pharmacist, Raymond Ferguson. As he was gathering the drugs, two customers, Bryon Sheffield and Jaime Taccetta, entered the store. Laffer then executed them by shooting them in the back of the head. The brutal and senseless act left four people dead and a community in shock. Jennifer, who was described as a sweet and caring girl, was set to be buried in the blue prom dress she never had the chance to wear.
A few days after the horrific murders, police arrested 33-year-old David Laffer and his 29-year-old wife, Melinda Brady, in connection with the crime. Brady had driven her husband to the pharmacy and acted as the getaway driver. In the face of overwhelming evidence, both eventually pleaded guilty. Laffer admitted to first-degree murder and was sentenced to five consecutive life terms in prison. Brady, for her role in planning and assisting in the robbery, was sentenced to 25 years behind bars.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Jennifer Mejia's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against three doctors who had prescribed pain medication to Laffer and Brady, alleging their negligence contributed to the couple's addiction and subsequent actions. However, the lawsuit was reportedly dismissed because Laffer and Brady refused to release their medical records, which would have been crucial to the case. The loss of Jennifer, a young woman with a bright future, remains a painful memory for her family and the Medford community.
