Yesterday while browsing on Instagram I stumbled upon an article from the New York Magazine, Intelligencer section titled “Murders Down the Hall”. To give you a synopsis of the article, it talks about the Woodson Houses projects in Brooklyn that in 2004 actually had a serial killer living amongst the residents. Starting from the first killing that victim was Myrtle Mckinney, who was found by her health aide in the kitchen bruised and had passed away. The policemen deemed it accidental as well but her daughter, Donna Meeks was skeptical and when she did her own search she found that her id, wallet and $800 dollars, an unusual amount, was missing from her moms' bank account. Even when she wanted to do an autopsy on her moms' body but with the cost and non cooperation from the NYPD it was a fate that she had to accept as disheartening as it was it was not possible. When Donna and her brother decided to finally have her transferred to a funeral home, the funeral director made a startling discover of a cut to her neck and with an actual autopsy that the NYPD decided to finally do it and was without a doubt finally deemed a murder, her death. Four years later Jacolia James was found dead in a similar fashion in her apartment and four months later so was Hector Higgins, who it appeared died from a fall off a ladder. Then Leon Gavin passed away, known as "Music Man" and yet another devastating death leading to no solution in sight. Few months after in January 2021, yet another resident was discovered by her son, in the same unusual way and slain in her home Juanita passed away. However, there was something to garner evidence of who was responsible for these killings. Through the cctv camera footage they identified the killer as Leon Given's cousin, who had come to stay with him and led to his own death. He was known as "Point" in the development and the resident handyman and helping him have access to his victims' homes, which ultimately led to the arrest of Kevin Gavin. He was found guilty and sentenced to life without parole.
As shocking and frightening as this true crime story iof a serial killer in Woodson Houses is, it not as hard to believe as seeing you do see some seriously strange occurrences in NYCHA and its developments. Just last month in Strauss Houses, Chad Irish was found guilty of shooting and killing Yazmeen Williams. They lived in the same NYCHA development and she would stay in his apartment at times, although its still unclear the status of their relationship, and he was seen carrying a sleeping bag and disposing of it by another eyewitness. In both horrific events that took place in both Woodson and Strauss Houses it poses the same issue that many of the residents face living in the properties throughout New York; that there are major flaws in the system and the safety of the tenants that reside here are at a major risk.
In both cases, both Woodson and Strauss have no proper cameras set up. Seeing as developments can be located throughout different parts of New York, some not in the most safe or hospitable areas either. It is necessary for NYCHA to make it part of its financial plan to provide working cameras throughout the developments and building for its residents and their safety. It provides an extra measure and acts a precaution to anyone who thinks about creating or committing any kind of crime or raucous in the building. Both of these incidents that took place show how the residents wanted and asked for cameras to be put in place in the developments and their needs were not met. In the case regarding the Woodson Houses, it took almost four years for them to get the funding for it. Either by given false promises or no money given in time or the city or assembly officials not delivering on their word to install them. Their countless protests or questions asking for cameras just simply was not heard or did not have the urgency or importance that it needed of this important matter. It should be a requirement of a NCYHA development and set aside a budget for the well being of the residents.
Secondly, as mentioned in the article regarding the Woodson houses, I think there needs to be more preventative measures put in place and more maintenance of certain features to protect the residents more of loitering or visitors that are not allowed to enter into the developments. For example, they mentioned the tenants association or the patrols that the residents banned together to start doing as a safety watch for the developments. As great as this is and I think it should be their prerogative to choose to do so. It should also be apart of the developments to have security, as some type of help to guard and look over the buildings at night especially. Or if they need to do necessary repairs of intercoms, so residents can know who is waiting to be buzzed up and/or who should be allowed into the building to prevent strangers or others who do not live or using the building for other purposes. Also, to help fix the lobby doors so it would not let anyone come in and out unannounced, so it would help prevent vandalism, thefts, squatters breaking in move out apartment etc.
Lastly, I think another major factor is the communication between residents and NYCHA employees when it comes to the city and NYCHA itself following procedures or creating better ones to prevent events from escalating or turning worse. In the case when it came to trying to remove Kevin Gavin from the apartment after his cousin, who originally owned the apartment was Leon, it showed the lack of followthrough from the system itself as the housing assistant did reach out about him turning in the keys and vacating. As he stayed there enough time to consider himself a squatter in the apartment and the new rules of not evicting a tenant after Covid ruled that he would be allowed to stay there. This process is not helpful to NYCHA or anyone who could be considered a nuisance or a danger and due to squatter rights allows someone who has been there a certain amount of time to claim rights to keep living in the apartment. Or as the processes of NYCHA are not upheld or intact, it allows for many mishaps such as Kevin Gavin who was asked to leave as he was not approved to be added to his cousin's lease and his absence only lasted for two weeks and he then returned to assume living there. There needs to be stricter delegation and rules need to be followed and obliged by all residents to ensure the safety and protocol in NYCHA. I think with working on these three major areas it could help improve the living conditions and help to keep the residents safer in the developments of NYCHA.
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