In the summer of 1977, a young man's life was violently cut short on the streets of Brooklyn. Jerome Hofaker, a 23-year-old male, was shot and killed outside his girlfriend's home in Canarsie. The tragic event unfolded on June 16, 1977, when Hofaker was shot five times. His death was not a random act of violence but a targeted killing with connections to organized crime.
The motive behind the murder was reportedly a personal dispute; Hofaker had been involved in a fight with Dennis
Testa, the brother of a notorious mob associate. This altercation ultimately led to deadly retribution at the hands of Anthony Senter and Joseph Testa, who were known members of the violent DeMeo crew, a faction of the Gambino crime family. Senter and Testa, childhood friends who grew up to be feared enforcers, carried out the murder as part of their criminal activities for the crew.
In the years that followed, law enforcement cracked down on the extensive criminal enterprises of the DeMeo crew. In March 1986, several members were convicted on various charges. A subsequent trial in June 1989 resulted in the conviction of more members, including Anthony Senter and Joseph Testa. They were found guilty of numerous murders and other racketeering offenses. For their crimes, both Senter and Testa received life sentences. Despite the gravity of their offenses, both men were eventually granted parole. Anthony Senter was scheduled for release in June 2024, and Joseph Testa was released in April 2024, after serving 35 years of their sentences.
