Yonkers Man Indicted for 2021 New Year's Eve Cold Case Murder
July 29, 2026
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced today that Yonkers man Shawn McLaurin, 43, was indicted for the 2021 New Year’s Eve cold case murder of 49-year-old Shawn Jefferson in White Plains.
The defendant was arraigned on Wednesday before Judge Melissa Loehr in Westchester County Court for Murder in the Second Degree, a class A felony, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony.
McLaurin pleaded not guilty and remains remanded to the Westchester County Jail. His next court date is Oct. 28, 2026.
DA Cacace said: “This indictment is the result of years of tireless work and collaboration between the White Plains Police Department, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Bureau and Criminal Investigators Squad, and the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force. While nothing can erase the immense grief Shawn Jefferson’s family has suffered, today’s actions bring us one step closer to holding the defendant accused of this vicious crime accountable. Our law enforcement partnerships remain critical in solving cold cases and ensuring violent offenders are brought to justice.”
White Plains Police Commissioner Wade C. Hardy said: “This indictment is a powerful testament to what can be achieved when local, county, and federal agencies stand united in pursuit of the truth. While years have passed since the tragic loss of Mr. Jefferson, the resolve of our detectives never wavered. I commend the outstanding work of the White Plains Police Department, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit and Criminal Investigators. Their persistent, detailed work ensured that this case moved from an arrest to a formal indictment, reaffirming our promise to this community that time will never ease our commitment to the pursuit of justice for everyone.”
On Dec. 31, 2021, at approximately 11:51 p.m., it is alleged that, following a physical altercation with the victim on Ferris Avenue in White Plains, the defendant shot him six times in the chest and torso with a 9mm firearm while the victim was seated in the driver’s seat of his vehicle outside his home near North Kensico Avenue. After the victim crawled out of his vehicle and onto the ground, the defendant allegedly fired a seventh shot and fled the scene.
Officers from the White Plains Police Department responded to the scene and found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to White Plains Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:29 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2022.
The defendant was arrested on July 12, 2026, following a comprehensive investigation led by the White Plains Police Department, with assistance from the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Bureau and Criminal Investigators Squad, and the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force.
The Westchester County Department of Laboratories and Research and the Westchester County Department of Public Safety’s Forensic Identification Unit also assisted in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Cold Case Bureau Chief Daniel Flecha and Homicide Bureau Chief Brian Bendish."
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The charges against the defendant are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.