Raymond Kenner and his accomplice, Alexander Stephens, were busted after a man was found dead in Hollis, and Kenner killed a second man two nights later near Rufus King Park in Jamaica in late December 2021. Both were sentenced in Queens Supreme Court.
Photo courtesy of the NYPD
A Manhattan man was sentenced to 35 years in prison Monday for stabbing two Queens men to death in a two-day period in 2021.
Raymond Kenner, 25, of West 31st Street, pleaded guilty on June 3 to two counts of manslaughter in the first degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder for fatally stabbing a man in Hollis with his co-defendant Alexander Stephens. And Kenner killed a second man in Rufus King Park two nights later.
“Raymond Kenner stabbed two young men in cold blood and callously left them to die in late December 2021,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
According to the charges, on the night of Dec. 21, 2021, Kenner and Stephens were seen on video surveillance following the first victim, Andrew Cunje, 25, from Francis Lewis Boulevard to Carpenter Avenue in Hollis and then confronting him. Moments later, Cunje was found on the ground bleeding from multiple stab wounds inflicted by Kenner. EMS rushed Cunje to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was treated for multiple stab wounds to his back and torso. He later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Kenner and Stephens stole the victim’s backpack and wallet.
Two days later, Kenner was seen on video surveillance around 11 p.m. running after 29-year-old Benjamin Vasquez on 89th Avenue near Rufus King Park in Jamaica. Once Kenner caught up to him, he threw the victim to the ground, stabbed him approximately eight times, and then stomped him. Vasquez stood up and tried to run away, but Kenner caught him and slammed him to the ground. EMS transported Vasquez to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. died from his injuries.
NYPD detectives tracked Kenner to The Wolcott Hotel in Manhattan, a shelter for the homeless transitioning from prison, where he was apprehended on Dec. 29, 2021, wearing the same clothes he was seen wearing on video as he followed the first victim on Dec. 21, and there was blood allegedly splattered on his clothing. Detectives recovered a folding knife from one of Kenner’s pockets.
Justice Holder sentenced Kenner to 35 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision. Stephens, 34, of 109th Road in St. Albans, pleaded guilty June 5 to robbery in the second degree. Justice Holder sentenced him Monday to seven years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision.
“These completely unprovoked attacks will impact the families of Andrew Cunje and Benjamin Vasquez for years to come,” Katz said. “I hope that today’s sentence brings the Cunje and Vasquez families comfort as they continue to mourn.”
