By Tiffany Williams –
On Monday at Queens Supreme Court in New York, Judge Michael Yavinsky imposed a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for Rasheen Everett for the murder of Amanda Gonzalez Andujar, a 29-year-old transgender woman. In addition to the murder charge, Judge Yavinsky sentenced Everett to an additional 15 years on a burglary charge, which will run concurrently with the murder sentence. He also received a consecutive sentence of two to four years for tampering with physical evidence.
Rasheen Everett, aged 43 and residing on Jefferson Street in Manhattan, was found guilty in October after a jury trial that spanned two weeks. The jury, after deliberating for just one hour, reached a verdict on charges of second-degree murder, second-degree burglary, and tampering with physical evidence.
The tragic events unfolded on March 27, 2010, when Everett entered the apartment of Amanda Gonzalez Andujar, located on 62nd Street in Glendale, around 8:50 a.m. Not long after his entry, neighbors living above Andujar’s apartment reported hearing distressing screams and loud banging, indicative of a struggle taking place within the residence.
Police were called and responded to the scene, but no one answered the door when they tried to gain entry.
About 18 hours later, at 3:03 a.m. on March 28, surveillance footage captured Everett exiting Andujar’s apartment alone, carrying two bags.
Concerns for Andujar’s well-being prompted family members to take action on March 30, 2010, around 4:00 p.m. Unable to reach her for several days, they entered her apartment and discovered her lifeless body on her bed. Disturbingly, her body exhibited signs of chemical burns, and an empty bottle of bleach was found nearby. The Medical Examiner later concluded that these chemical burns occurred after her death, and the cause of death was determined to be compression of the neck.
Following the murder, Everett fled New York City but was eventually apprehended by law enforcement 2,539 miles away in Las Vegas on April 9, 2010.
Crucial evidence linking Everett to the crime was found when DNA belonging to Everett was discovered under Andujar’s fingernails, further establishing his connection to the brutal act.
Although Everett was initially tried and found guilty in 2013, his conviction was overturned in 2021 due to a judicial error on the part of the trial judge, leading to his retrial and subsequent sentencing Monday.