111 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
White Plains, NY 10601
Tel: (914) 995-3586
Fax: (914) 995-2116
Jan. 28, 2013 -- Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that Lucius Crawford (DOB 07/19/52) of 7 Beekman Avenue, Mount Vernon, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with:
- two counts of Murder in the Second Degree, class "A-1" Felonies,
- two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, class "D" Felonies,
relating to the murders of Tonya Simmons on December 4th, 2012 in Mount Vernon and LaRonda Shealy in Yonkers on Sept. 13, 1993.
On Dec. 4, 2012, at approximately 11:30 am the victim, Tonya Simmons, was seen going into 7 Beekman Avenue in Mount Vernon with the defendant. Shortly thereafter, defendant leaves alone.
Suspect calls 911 twice, telling them that someone was hurt at that location. NYPD and MVPD locate the victim, deceased with apparent stab wounds to the torso in the defendant's apartment.
Defendant was apprehended by Mount Vernon police a short time later.
In July 2012, a DNA match from the federal CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) linked the defendant to a body of a Yonkers woman found in October 23rd,1993 on Liebig Avenue in the Bronx.
NYPD detectives and New York State Parole, along with Yonkers Cold Case detectives, began an investigation ultimately leading them to the defendant.
That homicide is being prosecuted by the Bronx County District Attorney.
The defendant was linked to the 1993 murder of LaRonda Shealy by Yonkers Cold Case detectives.
"Three women, all viciously and repeatedly stabbed to death. One victim was stabbed more than two dozen times, the other almost a dozen. And the murder of a third victim with multiple stab wounds is being prosecuted in the Bronx. Once again, what enabled investigators to quickly connect the defendant in this most recent homicide in Mount Vernon to two unsolved murder cases a generation ago: DNA," said District Attorney Janet DiFiore after the defendant was arraigned.
The defendant was remanded to the Westchester County Jail.
His next court date will be on Feb. 13, 2013.
He faces a maximum sentence of twenty five years to life in state prison on each of the murder counts.
Assistant District Attorney Patricia Murphy, Division Chief of the Superior Court Trial Division and Senior Assistant District Attorney Paula Branca-Santos of the Major Case Bureau, are prosecuting the case.
|
|
| Lucius Crawford |
In compliance with Disciplinary Rule 7-107A of the Code of Professional Responsibility, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
