You are reading

Manhattan Man Arraigned on Murder Charges Following Two Fatal Stabbings in Southeast Queens

Feb. 12, 2022 By Michael Dorgan

A Manhattan man who allegedly stabbed two victims to death — in separate incidents — in southeast Queens before Christmas has been charged with murder.

Raymond Kenner, 22, was arraigned before Queens Supreme Court Thursday for fatally stabbing 29-year-old Benjamin Vasquez in Jamaica on Dec. 23, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

Kenner allegedly stabbed Vasquez multiple times on 89th Avenue and 150th Street near Rufus King Park at around 11 p.m. according to the charges.

Two days earlier, on Dec. 21, Kenner allegedly knifed Andrew Cunje to death in Hollis, prosecutors said.

Another defendant, Alexander Stephens, 31, is alleged to have helped Kenner slay Cunje. Stephens, from Jamaica, was also arraigned in court Thursday on murder charges, prosecutors said.

According to the charges, Kenner and Stephens were seen on video surveillance following Cunje as he walked along Jamaica Avenue between 201st Street to Carpenter Avenue at around 8:50 p.m. The duo then allegedly stabbed Cunje several times in the chest and arms then ran off with his wallet and backpack, police said.

Andrew Cunje, pictured, was fatally stabbed on Dec. 21 (Photo via Facebook)

The pair were arrested on Dec. 29 and Kenner was wearing blood-splattered clothes. The clothes matched what he was wearing in the video footage while he also had a folding knife in his possession, prosecutors and police said.

Kenner had been out on bail while awaiting sentencing for an assault at a correction facility while Stephens was on parole after serving time for robbery and attempted robbery, according to the New York Daily News. Stephens is a reputed gang member, the publication reported.

Kenner and Stephens were also hit with robbery and weapons charges Thursday. Additionally, they were accused of tampering with evidence.

Kenner faces 25 years to life for each murder while Stephens faces 25 years to life in prison for the Cunje killing.

They were ordered back to court on April 25.

Kenner (L) and Jenner (R) on CCTV (Photo: NYPD)

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Queens man sentenced to 7 years in prison for 2021 attempted kidnapping in Richmond Hill: DA

A Fresh Meadows man was sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old boy in Richmond Hill in July 2021, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.

James McGonagle, 27, of Parsons Boulevard, pleaded guilty in Queens Supreme Court in November to attempted kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child for grabbing the child off a sidewalk before his mother and siblings thwarted the abduction.

Lawmakers secure federal funding to combat flooding in Queens after impact of Hurricane Ida and other storms

U.S. Congresswomen Grace Meng and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, announced on Jan. 7 that President Joe Biden has signed their legislation into law to address severe flooding in Queens.

The measure aims to mitigate future disasters like those caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida in September 2021, which inundated the borough with record-shattering rainfall.

Op-ed | New York’s ground lease co-ops: Our families can’t wait any longer 

Jan. 14, 2025 By Michael Tang 

Last December brought a long-awaited victory for New York City. Our City Council adopted the historic City of Yes housing plan, paving the way for more than 80,000 new homes by 2040 with the promise of affordability. As a longtime resident of Flushing, Queens, I naturally welcomed the news – it’s a much-needed reprieve for New Yorkers as housing costs continue to soar in the midst of an unparalleled housing crisis. But entering 2025 on the heels of this win, we residents at  Murray Hill Cooperative remain at risk — our lives are virtually unchanged because we belong to the last class of unprotected “tenants” as ground lease co-op residents. Without legislative action, more than 25,000 New Yorkers face the threat of losing their homes — homes that we own — to landowners seeking to raise our ground rent to astronomical rates.