In a tragic turn of events, the life of 31-year-old Yazmeen Williams was cut short in New York City. Her body was discovered on July 5, 2024, wrapped in a sleeping bag and placed inside a trash bag on a street in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan. The discovery was made after police responded to calls about a suspicious package. An autopsy later revealed that Williams had died from a gunshot wound to the head, and her death was ruled a homicide.
Yazmeen was a woman with a bright
future. A graduate of Buffalo State University with a degree in criminal justice, she had aspirations of becoming a lawyer. She was on the verge of starting a new job with the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development on the Monday following her death. Described by her family as adventurous and full of life, she was a cherished daughter, twin sister, and older sister who was known for her beautiful voice and her love of riding Citi Bikes.
The investigation into her death quickly led police to a person of interest, 55-year-old Chad Irish. Williams and Irish had been living together since November 2023, and their relationship was reportedly tied to drug use. In the days leading up to the shooting, the two had been arguing over text messages. Surveillance footage from June 26 captured Irish allegedly threatening to shoot Williams in a hallway. Williams was last seen alive on June 30.
Chad Irish, who uses a motorized wheelchair, was allegedly captured on surveillance video on July 5 dragging Williams' body, concealed in a sleeping bag on a dolly, out of their apartment building. He was arrested and initially charged with concealment of a human corpse. As he was taken into custody, an angry crowd of Williams' family, friends, and neighbors swarmed him. The charges against Irish were later upgraded to include Murder in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, and Tampering with Physical Evidence. Irish has a significant criminal history with nearly two dozen prior arrests and had been released on parole two years prior after serving time for robbery and assault. He has since been indicted by a grand jury.
