James White

Mass Murderer

James White and the 2017 Lansingburgh Quadruple Murder

Overview

James White was convicted of murdering two women and two children inside a basement apartment in the Lansingburgh neighborhood of Troy, New York, on December 21, 2017. The victims were 36-year-old Shanta Myers, Myers' 22-year-old partner Brandi Mells, and Myers' two children, 11-year-old Jeremiah "JJ" Myers and 5-year-old Shanise Myers. The family was killed only days before Christmas, and their bodies remained inside the residence until they were discovered on December 26, 2017. White committed the crimes with Justin Mann, a younger associate who later pleaded guilty and testified against him. Investigators determined that the two men traveled from Schenectady to Troy by bus while carrying bicycles. Surveillance recordings captured parts of their journey and later became important evidence connecting them to the apartment at 158 Second Avenue.

The Trip to Lansingburgh

On December 21, 2017, White and Mann met in Schenectady, placed their bicycles on public buses, and traveled toward Troy. After reaching the city, they rode to the Lansingburgh apartment shared by Myers, Mells, and the two children. Mann later testified that the stated purpose of the visit involved a small marijuana debt that Mells allegedly owed to the boyfriend of Mann's mother. Prosecutors also presented evidence that White wanted to recover a television and video-game controllers he had previously left at the residence. The property in question was a basement apartment at 158 Second Avenue. According to Mann's testimony, White instructed him to knock on the door and falsely claim that a bicycle had been stolen. The deception allowed the men to gain entry. What may initially have appeared to the victims as a dispute over property or a minor debt rapidly became a carefully controlled and fatal attack.

The Murders Inside the Apartment

Once inside, the victims were restrained and prevented from calling for help. Evidence presented during the case indicated that socks were placed in the victims' mouths. White then used a knife to attack the occupants of the apartment. Shanta Myers, Brandi Mells, and 5-year-old Shanise Myers were killed inside the residence. Jeremiah Myers was not initially present because he had been attending basketball practice. He returned home while the killers were still carrying out or concealing the crimes. Rather than allowing the 11-year-old boy to escape, White killed him as well. Jeremiah's return transformed an already devastating multiple homicide into the destruction of nearly an entire household. The victims suffered fatal injuries to their necks. Early accounts of the crime scene stated that the victims had been bound and that their throats had been cut. Officials described the apartment as one of the most disturbing homicide scenes they had encountered. The violence against the two children, especially after Jeremiah arrived home separately, became a central and deeply troubling element of the prosecution's case. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Shanta Myers 36 yr old Male

Convicted killer James White faces life in prison in Troy ...