NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Queens woman convicted of manslaughter and burglary was sentenced on Wednesday to 27 years in prison after she shot and killed a man in her Flushing bedroom three years ago and then fled the state in his car, the district attorney’s office said.
Haiyen Deng, 34, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the manslaughter charge five more for the burglary charge, to be served consecutively.
According to the charges, on Sept. 11, 2021, Deng illegally entered the home of 26-year-old Justin Li and attacked his wife, prosecutors said. She was issued a summons and charged with first-degree burglary.
Eight days later, on Sept. 19, first responders conducted a wellness check at Deng’s residence after Li’s wife reported that he did not return home. Li was found unresponsive in Deng’s bed and was bleeding from a single gunshot to the head.
No one else was in the apartment, and no shell casings were found, but officials recovered a bullet from the mattress.
Surveillance footage from the morning of Sept. 18 showed Deng and Li arriving at the residence in Li’s car and enter together.
Two hours later, footage showed Deng leave the building with multiple bags, enter Li’s car and drive away.
On Sept. 22 she was apprehended in New Mexico after the car broke down on the side of the road. A search by New Mexico State Police found personal property of Li’s and a loaded revolver that matched the bullet taken from her bedroom.
Deng was extradited to New York to face charges.
“The defendant took the life of a young father and then fled in the victim’s car, hoping to escape,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners, the defendant was apprehended and extradited to New York where she pleaded guilty to her crimes. Nothing can reverse the defendant’s actions, but hopefully today’s sentence will provide some comfort to the victim’s loved ones.”