NYC killer who tried to flee to Jamaica gets 22-year prison sentence

A New York City man who was caught on video executing a mechanic over a US$1,500 debt then purchased a plane ticket for a flight to Jamaica has been sentenced to 22 years to life in prison.

Richard Essor, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced on Thursday, three weeks after he was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder and two counts of weapons possession, according to a report by the New York Daily News.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Dineen Riviezzo, who presided over the trial, described it as a “terrible tragedy that the victim lost his life for just a few thousand dollars.”

Prosecutors say Essor’s BMW motorcar had been damaged by an electrical fire and the mechanic, Dexton Simpson, promised to pay him the US$1,500 as compensation.

According to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, around 7p.m. on September 29, 2017, Essor, a 35-year-old ex-con, confronted Simpson at his business place.

Gonzalez said when the mechanic indicated that he did not have all the money, Essor left and came back with a loaded semi-automatic pistol.

Surveillance video shows Essor standing over Simpson, who was crouched down working on a car.

According to the newspaper report, Essor can be seen pulling a gun out of his waistband before firing two shots into Simpson’s chest.

The gunman fired a third shot into the Simpson’s back as he tried to get away.

The shooter got back into a Honda motorcar and drove away.

Cops later got a tip that Essor bought a ticket for a flight to Jamaica and arrested him as he tried to board a plane the next day with US$1,600 in cash.

“This defendant executed a hardworking and defenceless father of three in a chilling attack that was captured on videotape,” Gonzalez said.

“The defendant’s senseless actions left a family and community without a husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will now have plenty of time to think about his conduct.”

Before he was sentenced, Essor expressed remorse for his actions.

 “I didn’t think it through. There is never a day when I don’t think about this. There is never a moment I don’t think about this…how different it could be,” he said.

“It’s so material. No one should lose their life over their car. I was just trying to go see my mom before all this happened. That’s all I was doing, I was not running. I was just facing everything. I'm sorry to everybody. I just wish I could fix it.”

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