NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A 25-year-old man was sentenced to to 35 years in prison for the 2021 stabbing deaths of two men in Queens, District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.
Raymond Kenner, of West 31st Street in Manhattan, pleaded guilty on June 3 to manslaughter. His sentence will be followed by five years of post-release supervision.
According to the charges, at approximately 9 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2021, Kenner followed Andrew Cunje, 25, from Francis Lewis Boulevard to Carpenter Avenue in Hollis and then approached him.
Moments later Kenner stabbed Cunje who was found on the ground bleeding from multiple stab wounds, authorities said. Cunje was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Kenner and his codefendant, 34-year-old Alexander Stephens, stole the victim’s backpack, cops said. Stephens pleaded guilty on June 5 to robbery and was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Two days later, at approximately 11 p.m., Kenner ran after 29-year-old Benjamin Vasquez on 89th Avenue in Jamaica near Rufus King Park. Once he caught up to him, police said he threw the victim to the ground, stabbed him approximately eight times and stomped on him.
Vasquez stood up and started to run away but Kenner caught him and slammed him to the ground. Vasquez was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
When Kenner was apprehended by the police on Dec. 29, 2021, he was wearing the same blood-spattered clothes he was seen wearing on video footage when he followed Cunje. Police also recovered a folding knife from his pocket.
"Raymond Kenner stabbed two young men in cold blood and callously left them to die in late December 2021. These completely unprovoked attacks will impact the families of Andrew Cunje and Benjamin Vazquez for years to come," DA Katz said. "I hope that today’s sentence bring the Cunje and Vazquez families comfort as they continue to mourn."