Wendy's massacre: Difference between revisions

Wendy's massacre
Wendy's massacre
Location	Flushing, New York, U.S.
Coordinates	40°45′33.07″N 73°49′48.68″W / 40.7591861°N 73.8301889°W
Date	May 24, 2000; 24 years ago ; 11:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time)
Target	Wendy's outlet
Attack type	Robbery; homicide; mass shooting;
Weapons	Bryco-Jennings Model J38 .380-caliber pistol
Deaths	5
Injured	2
Perpetrators	Craig Godineaux, John Taylor

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The Wendy's massacre was a mass murder that took place in a Wendy's fast-food restaurant at 40-12 Main Street in Flushing, New York, on May 24, 2000. Seven employees were shot in the head and five of them died. The killings were committed by former Wendy's employee John Taylor along with Craig Godineaux, who had planned to rob the restaurant's safe. Taylor was subsequently sentenced to death (later changed to life imprisonment without parole), while Godineaux was sentenced to life in prison. After the shooting, the Wendy’s location was closed and boarded up until it was eventually re-opened as a shopping center.

Robbery and killing of employees

The killings were carried out by 36-year-old John Taylor, a former employee of the restaurant, and his accomplice Craig Godineaux. The robbery was carefully planned, as Taylor forced his former manager there, Jean Auguste, to summon the six employees to his office on the pretense of having an important meeting. Taylor and Godineaux took the seven employees into the restaurant's freezer, bound and gagged them at gunpoint, put plastic bags over their heads, and then shot each of them in the head with a Bryco-Jennings Model J38 .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol. All but two of them died. One of the two survivors, Patricio Castro, dialed 9-1-1. When police arrived, they found all the victims and discovered $2,400 missing from the safe.^[1]

Arrests and trial

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested Taylor and Godineaux less than 48 hours after the killings. Evidence quickly mounted against the pair, including eyewitness testimony, ballistics, and fingerprints. On January 22, 2001, Godineaux pleaded guilty and was later sentenced to life in prison. Judge Steven W. Fisher instructed the jury that he would most likely sentence Taylor to a sentence of 175 years in prison if the jury did not return a unanimous verdict on the death penalty.^[2] On November 19, 2002, Taylor was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder. One week later, on November 26, the jury sentenced Taylor to death.^[3]

Post-conviction

In 2004, New York state's death penalty statute was declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals due to a flaw in its mandated instructions to the jury. The Queens District Attorney's Office fought to have Taylor's case declared an exception to the decision, but were unsuccessful. As a result, on October 23, 2007, the New York Court of Appeals vacated the death penalty portion of Taylor's verdict.^[4] At this time, Taylor was the last remaining inmate on death row in New York.^[5] On November 29, 2007, Taylor was re-sentenced to life without parole for the five murders.^[6]

Taylor is currently serving his sentence at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, as inmate #03A0158, while Godineaux is currently serving his sentence at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York, as inmate #01A1186.^{[citation needed]}

Victims

Killed in the massacre were:^{[citation needed]}

Jean Auguste, 27
Ali Ibadat, 40
Jeremy Mele, 18
Ramon Nazario, 44
Anita Smith, 23

Seriously wounded:

Ja Quione Johnson, 18
Patricio (Patrick) Castro, 23

References

"Two suspects in Wendy's shootings arrested". CNN. 2000-05-26. Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
McFadden, Robert D (2000-05-27). "2 Men Arrested In Killings of 5 At Restaurant". New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
Kershaw, Sarah (2000-11-21). "Forestalling Death Penalty In Wendy's Massacre Case". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
Goff, Liz. "Blood Spills On Main Street: The Wendy's Massacre". The Queens Spin. Queens Tribune. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
Confessore, Nicholas (2007-09-11). "New York's High Court Hears Death Penalty Arguments". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

Notes

^ "Wendy's massacre interview".
^ Soltnik, Daniel E. "Steven W. Fisher, New York State Justice, Dies at 64", The New York Times, December 28, 2010. Accessed December 28, 2010.
^ Kershaw, Sarah; Santora, Marc (2002-11-27). "Jury Sentences Wendy's Killer To Be Executed". The New York Times.
^ "Court of Appeals re: John Taylor" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2007.
^ "History of the Death Penalty: New York". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
^ "Last NY Death Row Inmate Gets Life Term". Associated Press.^{[dead link‍]}

[1] "Wendy's massacre interview".

[2] Soltnik, Daniel E. "Steven W. Fisher, New York State Justice, Dies at 64", The New York Times, December 28, 2010. Accessed December 28, 2010.

[3] Kershaw, Sarah; Santora, Marc (2002-11-27). "Jury Sentences Wendy's Killer To Be Executed". The New York Times.

[4] "Court of Appeals re: John Taylor" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2007.

[5] "History of the Death Penalty: New York". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved 24 January 2020.

[6] "Last NY Death Row Inmate Gets Life Term". Associated Press.^{[dead link‍]}

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{short description|Mass murder that took place in a Wendy's fast-food restaurant in Queens, New York City in 2000}}
+{{Short description|2000 mass murder in Queens, New York City, United States}}
 {{Infobox civilian attack
-| title      = Wendy's massacre
+| title            = Wendy's massacre
-| partof     = [[mass shootings in the United States]]
+| image            =
-| image      =
+| caption          =
+| location         = [[Flushing, Queens|Flushing]], New York, U.S.
-| caption    =
+| coordinates      = {{coord|40|45|33.07|N|73|49|48.68|W|region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
-| location   = [[Flushing, Queens|Flushing]], [[Queens]], [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
+| target           = [[Wendy's]] outlet
-| coordinates= {{coord|40|45|33.07|N|73|49|48.68|W|region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
+| date             = {{Start date and age |2000|5|24}}
-| target     = [[Wendy's]] outlet
-| date       = {{Start date and age |2000|5|24}}
+| time             = 11:00 p.m.
+| timezone         = [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|Eastern Daylight Time]]
-| time       = 11:00 p.m.
+| type             = {{hlist|[[Robbery]]|[[homicide]]| [[mass shootings in the United States|mass shooting]]}}
-| timezone   = [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|Eastern Daylight Time]]
-| type       = [[Robbery]] and [[homicide]]
+| fatalities       = 5
-| fatalities = 5
+| injuries         = 2
+| perps            = Craig Godineaux, John Taylor
-| injuries   = 2
-| perps      = Craig Godineaux, John Taylor
+| susperps         =
+| weapons          = [[Bryco Arms/Jennings Firearms/Jimenez Arms|Bryco-Jennings]] Model J38 .380-caliber [[pistol]]
-| susperps   =
-| weapons    = [[Bryco Arms/Jennings Firearms/Jimenez Arms|Bryco-Jennings]] Model J38 .380-caliber [[pistol]]
 }}
-The '''Wendy's massacre''' was a [[mass murder]] that took place in a [[Wendy's]] fast-food restaurant at 40-12 Main Street in [[Flushing, Queens|Flushing]], [[Queens]], [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], on May 24, 2000. Seven employees were shot in the head and five of them died. The killings were committed by former Wendy's employee John Taylor along with Craig Godineaux, who had planned to rob the restaurant's safe. Taylor was subsequently [[Capital punishment in New York (state)|sentenced to death]] (later changed to [[life imprisonment]] without [[parole]]), while Godineaux was sentenced to life in prison. After the shooting, the Wendy’s location was closed and boarded up until it was eventually re-opened as a shopping center.
+The '''Wendy's massacre''' was a [[mass murder]] that took place in a [[Wendy's]] fast-food restaurant at 40-12 Main Street in [[Flushing, Queens|Flushing]], New York, on May 24, 2000. Seven employees were shot in the head and five of them died. The killings were committed by former Wendy's employee John Taylor along with Craig Godineaux, who had planned to rob the restaurant's safe. Taylor was subsequently [[Capital punishment in New York (state)|sentenced to death]] (later changed to [[life imprisonment]] without [[parole]]), while Godineaux was sentenced to life in prison. After the shooting, the Wendy’s location was closed and boarded up until it was eventually re-opened as a shopping center.
 ==Robbery and killing of employees==
-The killings were carried out by 36-year-old John Taylor, a former employee of the restaurant, and his accomplice Craig Godineaux. The robbery was carefully planned, as Taylor forced his former manager there, Jean Auguste, to summon the six employees to his office on the pretense of having an important meeting. Taylor and Godineaux took the seven employees into the restaurant's freezer, bound and gagged them at gunpoint, put plastic bags over their heads, and then shot each of them in the head with a [[Bryco Arms/Jennings Firearms/Jimenez Arms|Bryco-Jennings]] Model J38 .380 caliber [[semi-automatic pistol]]. All but two of them died. One of the two survivors, Patricio Castro, dialed [[9-1-1]]. When police arrived, they found all the victims and discovered $2,400 missing from the safe.
+The killings were carried out by 36-year-old John Taylor, a former employee of the restaurant, and his accomplice Craig Godineaux. The robbery was carefully planned, as Taylor forced his former manager there, Jean Auguste, to summon the six employees to his office on the pretense of having an important meeting. Taylor and Godineaux took the seven employees into the restaurant's freezer, bound and gagged them at gunpoint, put plastic bags over their heads, and then shot each of them in the head with a [[Bryco Arms/Jennings Firearms/Jimenez Arms|Bryco-Jennings]] Model J38 .380 caliber [[semi-automatic pistol]]. All but two of them died. One of the two survivors, Patricio Castro, dialed [[9-1-1]]. When police arrived, they found all the victims and discovered $2,400 missing from the safe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wendy's massacre interview |url=https://pix11.com/news/local-news/queens/wendys-massacre-shooter-who-killed-5-regrets-taking-plea-deal-tells-his-version-20-years-later/}}</ref>
 ==Arrests and trial==
-The [[New York City Police Department]] (NYPD) arrested Taylor and Godineaux less than 48 hours after the killings. Evidence quickly mounted against the pair, including eyewitness testimony, [[ballistics]], and [[fingerprint]]s. On January 22, 2001, Godineaux pleaded guilty and was later sentenced to life in prison. Judge [[Steven W. Fisher]] instructed the jury that he would most likely sentence Taylor to a sentence of 175 years in prison if the jury did not return a unanimous verdict on the death penalty.<ref>Soltnik, Daniel E. [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/29/nyregion/29fisher.html "Steven W. Fisher, New York State Justice, Dies at 64"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 28, 2010. Accessed December 28, 2010.</ref> On November 19, 2002, Taylor was convicted of five counts of first degree murder. One week later, on November 26, the jury sentenced Taylor to death.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=940CE2D61738F934A15752C1A9649C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fC%2fCapital%20Punishment| title=Jury Sentences Wendy's Killer To Be Executed|work=New York Times | first1=Sarah | last1=Kershaw | first2=Marc | last2=Santora | date=2002-11-27}}</ref>
+The [[New York City Police Department]] (NYPD) arrested Taylor and Godineaux less than 48 hours after the killings. Evidence quickly mounted against the pair, including eyewitness testimony, [[ballistics]], and [[fingerprint]]s. On January 22, 2001, Godineaux pleaded guilty and was later sentenced to life in prison. Judge [[Steven W. Fisher]] instructed the jury that he would most likely sentence Taylor to a sentence of 175 years in prison if the jury did not return a unanimous verdict on the death penalty.<ref>Soltnik, Daniel E. [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/29/nyregion/29fisher.html "Steven W. Fisher, New York State Justice, Dies at 64"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 28, 2010. Accessed December 28, 2010.</ref> On November 19, 2002, Taylor was convicted of five counts of [[Murder|first-degree murder]]. One week later, on November 26, the jury sentenced Taylor to death.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=940CE2D61738F934A15752C1A9649C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fC%2fCapital%20Punishment| title=Jury Sentences Wendy's Killer To Be Executed|work=The New York Times | first1=Sarah | last1=Kershaw | first2=Marc | last2=Santora | date=2002-11-27}}</ref>
 ==Post-conviction==
-In 2004, New York state's death penalty statute was declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals due to a flaw in its mandated instructions to the jury. The Queens District Attorney's Office fought to have Taylor's case declared an exception to the decision, but were unsuccessful. As a result, on October 23, 2007, the Court of Appeals of the State of New York vacated the death penalty portion of Taylor's verdict.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/decisions/oct07/123opn07.pdf|title=Court of Appeals re: John Taylor|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026141714/http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/decisions/oct07/123opn07.pdf|archivedate=October 26, 2007}}</ref> At this time, Taylor was the last remaining inmate on death row in New York.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state/new-york|title=History of the Death Penalty: New York|last=|first=|date=|website=Death Penalty Information Center|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=24 January 2020}}</ref> On November 29, 2007, Taylor was re-sentenced to life without parole for the five murders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hCn-O1iH5lBCNtcFFuPc-nPjq4QwD8T7N51G0|title=Last NY Death Row Inmate Gets Life Term|publisher=Associated Press}}{{dead link|date=November 2012|bot=Legobot}}</ref>
+In 2004, New York state's death penalty statute was declared unconstitutional by the [[New York Court of Appeals]] due to a flaw in its mandated instructions to the jury. The Queens District Attorney's Office fought to have Taylor's case declared an exception to the decision, but were unsuccessful. As a result, on October 23, 2007, the New York Court of Appeals vacated the death penalty portion of Taylor's verdict.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/decisions/oct07/123opn07.pdf|title=Court of Appeals re: John Taylor|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026141714/http://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/decisions/oct07/123opn07.pdf|archivedate=October 26, 2007}}</ref> At this time, Taylor was the last remaining inmate on death row in New York.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state/new-york|title=History of the Death Penalty: New York|last=|first=|date=|website=Death Penalty Information Center|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=24 January 2020}}</ref> On November 29, 2007, Taylor was re-sentenced to life without parole for the five murders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hCn-O1iH5lBCNtcFFuPc-nPjq4QwD8T7N51G0|title=Last NY Death Row Inmate Gets Life Term|publisher=Associated Press}}{{dead link|date=November 2012|bot=Legobot}}</ref>
-Taylor is currently serving his sentence at the [[Clinton Correctional Facility]] in [[Dannemora (village), New York|Dannemora, New York]], as inmate #03A0158, while Godineaux is currently serving his sentence at the [[Auburn Correctional Facility]] in [[Auburn, New York]], as inmate #01A1186.
+Taylor is currently serving his sentence at the [[Clinton Correctional Facility]] in [[Dannemora (village), New York|Dannemora, New York]], as inmate #03A0158, while Godineaux is currently serving his sentence at the [[Auburn Correctional Facility]] in [[Auburn, New York]], as inmate #01A1186.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}
 ==Victims==
-Killed in the [[massacre]] were:
+Killed in the [[massacre]] were:{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}
 *Jean Auguste, 27
 *Ali Ibadat, 40
-*Jeremy Mele, 19
+*Jeremy Mele, 18
 *Ramon Nazario, 44
 *Anita Smith, 23
@@ Line 56: / Line 55: @@
 {{Wendy's}}
-[[Category:Mass murder in 2000]]
+[[Category:Massacres in the United States]]
 [[Category:Deaths by firearm in Queens, New York]]
-[[Category:Murder in New York City]]
+[[Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 2000]]
 [[Category:2000 mass shootings in the United States]]
-[[Category:Mass shootings in the United States]]
+[[Category:Mass murder in the United States in the 2000s]]
 [[Category:2000 murders in the United States]]
 [[Category:2000 in New York City]]
 [[Category:Wendy's International]]
 [[Category:Crimes in Queens, New York]]
-[[Category:Attacks in the United States in 2000]]
+[[Category:2000s crimes in New York City]]
-[[Category:Attacks on restaurants in North America]]
+[[Category:Attacks on restaurants in the United States]]
-[[Category:May 2000 events in the United States]]
+[[Category:May 2000 crimes in the United States]]
 [[Category:Flushing, Queens]]
 [[Category:2000s in Queens]]
 [[Category:Mass shootings in New York City]]
+[[Category:Massacres in 2000]]

v t e Mass shootings in the United States in the 2000s
2000	Wilkinsburg, PA (Mar. 1) Pittsburgh, PA (Apr. 28) Queens, NY (May 24) Wichita, KS (Dec. 11–15) Wakefield, MA (Dec. 26) Philadelphia, PA (Dec. 28)
2001	Nevada City & Grass Valley, CA (Jan. 10) Melrose Park, IL (Feb. 5) Santee, CA (Mar. 5)
2002	Grundy, VA (Jan. 16) Los Angeles, CA (Jul. 4)
2003	New Orleans, LA (Apr. 14) Ennis, MT (Jun. 14) Meridian, MS (Jul. 8) Chicago, IL (Aug. 27)
2004	Fresno, CA (Mar. 12) McKinney, TX (Mar. 12) Meteor, WI (Nov. 21) Columbus, OH (Dec. 8)
2005	Tyler, TX (Feb. 24) Brookfield, WI (Mar. 12) Red Lake, MN (Mar. 21) Tacoma, WA (Nov. 20)
2006	Goleta, CA (Jan. 30) Seattle, WA (Mar. 25) Milwaukee, WI (May 29) Indianapolis, IN (Jun. 1) Seattle, WA (Jul. 28) Nickel Mines, PA (Oct. 2)
2007	Salt Lake City, UT (Feb. 12) New York City, NY (Mar. 14) Blacksburg, VA (Apr. 16) Crandon, WI (Oct. 7) Cleveland, OH (Oct. 10) Omaha, NE (Dec. 5) Arvada & Colorado Springs, CO (Dec. 9)
2008	Tinley Park, IL (Feb. 2) Kirkwood, MO (Feb. 7) DeKalb, IL (Feb. 14) Henderson, KY (Jun. 25) Knoxville, TN (Jul. 27) Covina, CA (Dec. 24)
2009	Geneva County, AL (Mar. 10) Oakland, CA (Mar. 21) Carthage, NC (Mar. 29) Binghamton, NY (Apr. 3) Pittsburgh, PA (Apr. 4) Collier Township, PA (Aug. 4) Toa Baja, PR (Oct. 17) Killeen, TX (Nov. 5) Pearcy, AR (Nov. 11 or 12) Saipan, MP (Nov. 20) Jupiter, FL (Nov. 26) Lakewood, WA (Nov. 29)
Part of mass shootings in the United States by time period (1980s and before, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s)

v t e Wendy's
People	Dave Thomas Wendy Thomas John T. Schuessler Clara Peller
Products	Frosty Frescata Bacon Deluxe Baconator Big Classic
Advertising	Where's the beef? We Beefin?
Parent company	The Wendy's Company
Related	Dave Thomas Circle Wendy's massacre (2000) Killing of Rayshard Brooks (2020)