New York woman arrested in New Mexico months after man found fatally shot in her bed
01/05/2022 12:14 pm PST
QUEENS, N.Y. (TCD) -- A 31-year-old woman was extradited to New York from New Mexico months after a man was found shot to death in her apartment.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Haiyan Deng was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned Jan. 3 on charges of second-degree murder, second- and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree burglary, third-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree harassment. Deng could face 25 years to life in prison if she is convicted.
The District Attorney’s Office alleges Deng shot 26-year-old Justin Li in her apartment on Sept. 18, 2021, in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens. First responders conducted a welfare check on Li the next day and reportedly found him dead on Deng’s bed bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the head.
Katz said, "The defendant is accused of shooting the victim in the head, then taking his car to flee the state."
According to New Mexico State Police, on Sept. 22 at approximately 6:30 p.m., an officer checked on a 2000 Honda CRV with Pennsylvania license plates that had two flat tires. New Mexico State Police had received information around that time from the New York Police Department regarding Deng’s disappearance from New York. NYPD reportedly told New Mexico State Police they believed Deng was in New Mexico and driving the same type of car with Pennsylvania plates.
The officer reportedly identified the driver as Deng and tried arresting her, but she resisted. A passerby reportedly stopped the help the officer, and deputies from the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office arrived to help detain Deng. She was charged at the time with resisting, evading, and obstructing an officer.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office said New Mexico State Troopers located a loaded revolver in the vehicle. Ballistics from the gun matched the bullet used in Li’s killing. The statements adds that Deng was allegedly "found of be in possession of the victim’s personal property."
According to New York City jail records, Deng was booked Jan. 1. Her next court date is scheduled for Feb. 3.
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