In March 1985, the life of 28-year-old Lorraine Marshall, a Black / African American woman, was tragically cut short in her New York City apartment. She was discovered murdered, having suffered multiple stab wounds. The grim discovery of her death was compounded weeks later when her 6-year-old son, James Jose Marshall, was also found deceased; he had been strangled. The brutal nature of these crimes sent shockwaves through the community and sparked an intensive investigation.
The primary focus of the investigation quickly centered on Lorraine's boyfriend, Hubert James Allen. Allen was already a person of interest in the mysterious 1979 disappearance of his wife, Angela Elaine Allen. It was revealed that Lorraine and Hubert had been engaged in an affair while he was still married. In a significant development in 1982, Lorraine had confessed to investigators that Hubert had admitted to her that he had killed Angela. Despite this admission, Hubert was never formally charged with his wife's murder.
The investigation into the deaths of Lorraine and her young son culminated in the arrest of Hubert James Allen. In late 1985, he was tried and convicted for the murders of both Lorraine and James Marshall. While the conviction brought a measure of justice for the dual homicides, the fate of Angela Elaine Allen and the full extent of Hubert's violent history remain a lingering mystery.
