In the heart of Chinatown, a senseless act of violence claimed the life of 57-year-old Ying Zhu Liu, a Chinese woman and home health aide, on the night of September 9, 2024. The tragic events unfolded within the supposed safety of her apartment building at 44 Market Street, just south of the Manhattan Bridge. What began as a robbery spiraled into a homicide that left a family shattered and a community in shock.
The evening took a dark turn when Liu's 61-year-old husband returned home.
As he was buzzed into the building by their 32-year-old son, two assailants followed him into the elevator. Upon reaching the eighth floor, the robbers, wearing ski masks, confronted the husband in the hallway, brandishing firearms and demanding his belongings. The commotion drew the attention of their son, who attempted to intervene but was pistol-whipped for his efforts. Hearing the struggle from inside their apartment, Liu emerged, reportedly with a stick, in a courageous attempt to defend her family. It was in this moment of bravery that one of the assailants fatally shot her in the face. The attackers fled the scene with only the husband's cell phone.
The New York Police Department launched an investigation that led to the arrests of two individuals. In September 2024, a 16-year-old was taken into custody. Due to his age, his name was not publicly released. He faced charges of second-degree murder, robbery, burglary, and criminal possession of a weapon. Later, in March 2025, the second suspect, 19-year-old Joshua Bell, was apprehended in South Carolina and extradited to New York. He faced the same charges as his alleged accomplice: murder, robbery, three counts of burglary, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
