In the summer of 1995, a wave of violence cut short the life of David Roth, a 54-year-old man from Manhattan. His death was not an isolated incident but part of a tragic series of events orchestrated by a single individual. On June 19th, Roth was at his workplace when he encountered Darnell Collins. Collins, in the midst of a multi-day, multi-state crime spree, had just committed another murder nearby.
Earlier that day, Collins had shot and killed a gas station attendant, Jose Gabriel
Escarpetta, in a parking lot near the Avenue of the Americas. Fleeing the scene, Collins entered a nearby building where he came upon David Roth and his 26-year-old colleague, Jeffrey Roork, in an elevator. Without provocation, Collins shot both men in the head, ending their lives instantly. The senseless act was a grim chapter in a violent rampage that had begun days earlier in New Jersey.
The suspect, Darnell Collins, had a history of criminal activity and had been recently released from prison. His deadly spree began after a domestic dispute, leading to the murder of his ex-girlfriend's mother. From there, he continued his violent path, which ultimately led him to Manhattan and the fatal encounter with Roth and Roork. Collins's reign of terror did not end there; he went on to commit further acts of violence before his spree was brought to a definitive close.
Law enforcement from both New Jersey and New York were in pursuit of Collins. The chase concluded in Nutley, New Jersey, where police cornered the suspect. In the ensuing confrontation, Darnell Collins was shot and killed by officers. His death brought an end to the bloodshed, but for the families of David Roth and the other victims, it marked the beginning of a long and difficult period of grieving. Because the suspect was killed, there was no arrest, trial, or conviction for the murder of David Roth.
