In the summer of 1977, the life of 19-year-old Cherie Golden was tragically cut short in Brooklyn, New York. On the night of July 20th, she was with her 34-year-old boyfriend, Johnathan 'John' Quinn, when they were both targeted by members of a ruthless organized crime group. Golden, known to some by the nickname 'Twiggy', became entangled in a dangerous world because of her boyfriend's activities as a car thief and his subsequent decision to cooperate with law enforcement.
Quinn had been involved in a stolen car ring that brought him into conflict with the formidable DeMeo crew, a faction of the Gambino crime family. When the crew suspected Quinn was providing information to a grand jury, he was marked for death. Tragically, Cherie Golden was considered a liability due to her association with him, and a decision was made that she too had to be silenced.
On that fateful July night, the couple was lured to the Gemini Lounge, a known haunt of the DeMeo crew in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. After Quinn was ambushed and killed, Cherie Golden was shot multiple times. Her body was later discovered inside a stolen Lincoln Continental near Coney Island. In an attempt to mislead investigators, her body had been partially undressed to suggest a different motive for the killing. Quinn's body was found dumped in a desolate area of Staten Island.
The investigation into their murders eventually led to the apprehension of Anthony Senter and Joseph Testa, two members of the DeMeo crew known as the 'Gemini Twins'. They were subsequently charged with numerous murders, including that of Cherie Golden. In a 1989 trial, both Senter and Testa were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the violent activities of the DeMeo crew. Testimony from the trial revealed the cold-blooded nature of Golden's murder and the lengths the criminal organization would go to in order to protect its interests.
