Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Haiyan Deng pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree and other charges for shooting and killing a man in her apartment in Flushing on September 18, 2021. The 26-year-old victim was found dead in the defendant’s bed and bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the head by first responders conducting a wellness check.

District Attorney Katz said: “Following a strong case built by my office, the defendant has admitted guilt for shooting and killing a young man inside her own home. A life was needlessly lost, and the defendant now faces a lengthy prison sentence for her criminal actions. We hope that the plea will provide even a small measure of closure to the victim’s loved ones.”

Deng, 34, of 39^th Avenue in Flushing, pleaded guilty today to manslaughter in the first degree and burglary in the second degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant indicated that she would sentence the defendant to 22 years on the manslaughter charge and five years on the burglary charge, to run consecutive for a total of 27 years in prison. The sentencing date was set for October 16.

According to the charges:

• On September 11, 2021, at approximately 7:40 p.m., Deng unlawfully entered a home owned by the victim’s family in Bayside and attacked the victim’s wife. Deng was subsequently issued a summons by law enforcement and later charged with burglary in the first degree for the incident.
• On September 19, 2021, at approximately 9:00 p.m., first responders conducted a wellness check at Deng’s residence in Flushing after the victim’s wife reported that he did not come home.
• Upon arriving at the location, first responders found the victim alone and unresponsive in Deng’s bed. He was bleeding from an apparent single gunshot to the head.
• No shell casings were found but a fired bullet was recovered from the pillow on the bed.
• Video surveillance from that day showed the victim arriving to the location in his vehicle along with the Deng on September 18. They were both observed walking into the building at approximately 5:40 a.m.
• Approximately two hours later, Deng was seen leaving the building alone with multiple bags in hand, getting into the victim’s vehicle and fleeing the scene.
• Deng was apprehended in New Mexico on September 22, 2021, after the car she was driving broke down on the side of the road. New Mexico State Troopers recovered personal property belonging to the victim and a loaded revolver from the car. The revolver was a ballistic match to the bullet recovered from the defendant’s bedroom.
• Deng was then extradited to New York to face charges.

The original investigation was conducted by Detective Brian Hilt, of the Queens North Homicide Squad, and Detective Carl Caputo of the 109^th Precinct Detective Squad, both of the New York City Police Department.

Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Selkowe, Unit Chief of the District Attorney’s Vehicular Homicide Unit, under the Homicide Bureau, is prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Tara Hayes of the District Attorney’s Felony Trials Bureau and Intelligence Analyst Hong Man Lam of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, Karen Ross, Deputy Bureau Chief and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.