Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Desean McCain, 22, has been arraigned and charged with murder in the November 2 shooting death of a 47-year-old man, who was the boyfriend of the defendant’s disabled mother, in an apartment of the Pomonok Houses.

District Attorney Katz said, “A domestic dispute erupted into chaos and tragedy when the defendant allegedly fired an illegal gun multiple times at the victim. No one has the right to take another person’s life. The defendant will now be held accountable in court.”

McCain, of Parsons Boulevard in Fresh Meadows, Queens, was arraigned late last night before Queens Criminal Court Judge Eugene Guarino on a four-count complaint charging him with murder in the second degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child. Judge Guarino ordered the defendant to return to Court on November 12, 2021. If convicted, McCain faces up to 25 years-to-life in prison.

According to the complaint, shortly after 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2nd, the defendant was in his mother’s apartment near the intersection of Parsons Boulevard and Jewel Avenue when he allegedly shot Anthony Ragler. The 47-year-old victim was romantically involved with the defendant’s mother. Both McCain’s mother and her nine-year-old grandson were present at the time of the shooting.

District Attorney Katz said when police arrived at the scene, the defendant had fled. Medical personnel transported the victim to a local hospital but the gunshot wounds to his head and chest were fatal.

The defendant was apprehended yesterday.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Edgar Brito of the 107th Detective Squad.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Tara DiGregorio, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Peter McCormack III and John Kosinski, Senior Deputy Bureau Chiefs,  and Karen Ross, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.