Detective Ioannis Kyrkos of the NYPD’s 72nd Precinct took the stand on October 15 to testify about the investigation into a violent robbery and murder that occurred at a Chinese gambling establishment on 7th Avenue in Brooklyn. During the incident, one of the victims, despite being severely injured by the assailants, managed to use his phone to capture the license plate number of a getaway vehicle, which became a crucial piece of evidence for the police.
Kyrkos, a detective with 20 years of experience, was called to the scene on the night of February 26, 2021, after receiving an urgent alert about the robbery-homicide at the gambling hall located at 723 58th Street. Upon his arrival, he found chaos inside the establishment, with overturned furniture and playing cards scattered everywhere.
He then proceeded to the scene of the altercation at the intersection of 7th Avenue and 57th Street, where he observed extensive bloodstains and a crowd of onlookers. To preserve the integrity of the crime scene, Kyrkos quickly established a perimeter. Several victims had already been transported by ambulance to nearby hospitals. At the scene, he spoke with emergency personnel and obtained the photograph containing the license plate number of the white Mercedes associated with the attackers—JLH9539. He relayed this information to headquarters, urging officers to intercept and search the vehicle.
Later that evening, around 10:30 PM, Kyrkos visited NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn to check on victims Jian Quan and Liu Yongfa. Both patients suffered multiple stab wounds but were reported to be out of immediate danger. At around 12:20 AM on February 27, he also visited Lin Xiong, another victim who had been injured but managed to document the attackers’ vehicle.
Just after 1:45 AM, approximately four hours after the crime, the police received a significant lead. Officers located the white Mercedes with the license plate JLH9539 at Eerie Basin in Brooklyn, where a man was seen transferring items between this vehicle and a Lincoln MKX. To prevent the suspect from escaping or disposing of evidence, Kyrkos directed local police to secure both cars and transport them to the precinct.
After obtaining warrants, law enforcement arrested a suspect named William Smith on February 27, seizing clothing, his wallet, and his iPhone 11 Pro as evidence. The next day, police searched both vehicles and discovered an illegal firearm hidden in a bag inside the Lincoln.
Upon analyzing Smith’s phone, police found communications between him and two individuals named Chris and Keece before and after the robbery. With proper authorization, they began monitoring the phones of these two suspects. Additionally, after reviewing surveillance footage from the area surrounding the crime scene, investigators identified a GMC Savannah van as another vehicle involved.
During the court proceedings on the 15th, forensic expert Lori-Ann Petrosino also testified. Specialized in biological testing and DNA analysis, she indicated that three individuals’ DNA was found on the seized firearm, one of whom was Smith. His attorney, Mahmoud R. Rabah, challenged the DNA evidence during cross-examination, questioning its implications regarding potentiality, the differences between primary and secondary DNA evidence, and whether DNA evidence has an expiration date.
