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Wendy's massacre

Wendy's massacre
Map
LocationFlushing, New York, U.S.
Coordinates40°45′33.07″N 73°49′48.68″W / 40.7591861°N 73.8301889°W / 40.7591861; -73.8301889
DateMay 24, 2000; 25 years ago (2000-05-24)
11:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time)
TargetWendy's outlet
Attack type
WeaponBryco-Jennings Model J38 .380 ACP semi-automatic pistol
Deaths5
Injured2
PerpetratorsCraig Godineaux, John Taylor

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 without parole. After the shooting, the Wendy's was closed and boarded up until it was eventually reopened as a shopping center. It remains the deadliest mass shooting in New York City history.

Robbery and killing of employees

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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, 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. One victim was also shot in the chest, and 8 shell casings were found.[1] All but two of them died. Jaquione Johnson survived despite being shot from the top of his head, with the bullet travelling between the two brain lobes, through the nasal cavity and out the mouth.[2][3] The second survivor, Patricio Castro, dialed 9-1-1. When police arrived, they found all the victims and discovered US$2,400 (equivalent to $4,400 in 2024) missing from the safe.[4]

Arrests and trial

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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 175 years in prison if the jury did not return a unanimous verdict on the death penalty.[5] 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.[6] Godineaux avoided the death penalty as his childhood IQ test was under 70 and by law was labelled as "mentally retarded".[4][2]

Post-conviction

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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 juries. The Queens County District Attorney 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.[7] At this time, Taylor was the last remaining inmate on death row in New York.[8] On November 29, 2007, Taylor was re-sentenced to life without parole for the five murders.[9]

As of August 2025, Taylor is serving his life without parole sentence at the Wende Correctional Facility, in Alden, New York, 340 miles (550 km) northwest of New York City, where he was moved to in 2003.[10]

As of August 2025, Godineaux is serving his life without parole sentence at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility, in Wallkill, Ulster County, New York, 72 miles (116 km) north of New York City, where he was moved to in 2001.[11]

Victims

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Killed in the massacre were:[12]

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

Seriously wounded:

  • Patricio (Patrick) Castro, 23
  • Jaquione Johnson, 18

References

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  1. ^ "2 Wendy's Suspects held Ex-Employee Busted on L.I. Sets Cops on Pal". New York Daily News. January 11, 2019 [27 May 2000]. Archived from the original on June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Wendy's Massacre Defendant Said Retarded". ABC News. November 21, 2000. Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  3. ^ Kershaw, Sarah (November 8, 2002). "Second Survivor of Wendy's Massacre Tells of Seeing Killings". The New York Times. p. B3. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Murphy, Mary (February 12, 2020) [11 February 2020]. "Wendy's massacre shooter who killed 5 regrets taking plea deal, tells his version 20 years later interview". WPIX News. Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  5. ^ Soltnik, Daniel E. (December 30, 2010) [28 December 2010]. "Steven W. Fisher, New York State Justice, Dies at 64". The New York Times. p. A22. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  6. ^ Kershaw, Sarah; Santora, Marc (November 27, 2002). "Jury Sentences Wendy's Killer To Be Executed". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  7. ^ The People v. John Taylor., New York Reports 123, p.30 (NY 2007) ("Accordingly the judgment of Supreme Court should be modified by vacating the sentence of death and remitting to that court for resentencing in accordance with CPL 470.30(5)(c) and Penal Law §§ 60.06 and 70.00 and, as so modified, affirmed."), archived from the original on 2010-12-06.
  8. ^ "New York High Court Overturns Last Death Sentence Because Statute is Unconstitutional" (Press release). Death Penalty Information Center. March 14, 2025 [23 October 2007]. Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  9. ^ "New York's last death-row inmate resentenced to life without parole". Deseret News. Associated Press. November 30, 2007. Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  10. ^ "Incarcerated Lookup | Taylor, John DIN: 03A0158". New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Retrieved August 21, 2025. Housing Facility: Wende ... Date Received (current): 01/10/2003
  11. ^ "Incarcerated Lookup | Godineaux, Craig DIN: 01A1186". New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Retrieved August 21, 2025. Housing Facility: Shawangunk ... Date Received (current): 02/26/2001
  12. ^ Barry, Dan (May 26, 2000). "Families Grieve for Young Victims of a Massacre". The New York Times. p. B4. Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.