This archive report was first published on 18 November 2019.
Chinatown Murders: A Troubling Case ¶
On a fateful night in October 2018, Randy Santos, then 24, allegedly bludgeoned four homeless men to death in New York's Chinatown. The case has left investigators and the public stunned, with many questioning how Santos was able to roam the streets despite a history of violent assaults.
According to court records, Santos was holding a bloody, 15-pound metal bar when he was arrested, and security cameras captured him sneaking up on the men while they slept and bashing in their heads. When shown the video, Santos told investigators he was the attacker.
However, in an interview at Rikers Island, where he is being held awaiting trial, Santos claimed he had no memory of the murders. "I was looking for bottles for cash," he said. "I needed the money because I was living on the streets and at an abandoned building. That's all I remember."
But Santos's claim of memory loss does little to clear up the mystery surrounding the motive behind the horrific quadruple murders. The case has highlighted cracks in the legal and social services systems that allowed Santos to roam the streets, despite his history of violent outbursts.
His family has blamed mental illness and drug abuse for his violent behavior, including an attack on his own grandfather. Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors have a strong case against Santos, with multiple witnesses and video evidence placing him at the scene of the crimes. The Manhattan district attorney's office has said that Santos was given several chances by the criminal justice system to turn his life around, but he failed to take advantage of them.
One of the victims, Andrea Dazio, a 48-year-old investment banker from Milan, said he knew Santos would be a danger to others if he were not jailed. Dazio was attacked by Santos on a subway train in December 2017, breaking a bone under his eye and requiring 22 stitches to close.
"I saw what he could do, such violence, such an explosion of rage," Dazio said. "Nobody took care of this guy when they had the time."
Despite his history of violent behavior, Santos was released from jail multiple times, including after the subway attack. He was given a chance to avoid jail time if he enrolled in counseling programs, but he never signed up.
It wasn't until the Chinatown murders that Santos was finally held behind bars. "It took four murders to keep him behind bars," said Maria Guadalupe Vazquez, a friend of one of the victims.
As Santos awaits trial, his case continues to raise questions about the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in addressing violent behavior and preventing future tragedies.
