Andrei Katz
Encyclopedia
Andrei Katz was a Romanian-Jewish immigrant living in New York City
in the 1970s, where through auto theft and drug dealing he became involved with a group of criminals associated with the Gambino crime family
known as the DeMeo crew
. After he agreed to cooperate with law enforcement against the crew, Andrei became their first known murder victim. In 1956, Andrei's family immigrated to New York
. His parents, both survivors of a concentration camp during World War II
, chose to live in Brooklyn
. Andrei was four years old at the time. He also had a younger brother by the name of Victor.
District Attorney's Office
and voluntarily provided them information that Chris Rosenberg
was heavily involved in auto theft. Roy DeMeo
learned about the meeting immediately after it happened from an Auto Crimes detective on his payroll. Roy ordered Demeo crew associate Henry Borelli to contact his female acquaintance again about being used as bait. In May, Andrei appeared before a Brooklyn grand jury
and divulged what he knew about the DeMeo crew's illegal activities.
In June 1975, the female friend of Borelli's was used to successfully lure Katz to her apartment complex for what he thought was a date, where upon arrival he was immediately abducted by members of the DeMeo crew. He was then taken to the meat department of a supermarket
, where he was stabbed multiple times in the heart and then the back by a butcher knife
.
After being decapitated
, Katz's head was then crushed when it was put through a machine normally used for compacting cardboard boxes. The body parts were wrapped in plastic bags and then deposited into the supermarket's dumpster, where they were discovered days later when a pedestrian walking his dog spotted one of Katz's legs lying on a curb near the store. The police reported to the press that a grisly, brutal killing had occurred, but that was the extent of the information given. The body was identified as that of Andrei Katz two days later through the use of dental records.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the 1970s, where through auto theft and drug dealing he became involved with a group of criminals associated with the Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
known as the DeMeo crew
Roy DeMeo
Roy Albert DeMeo was a soldier in the Gambino crime family. He is infamous for heading the DeMeo crew, a gang suspected by the FBI of murdering at least 70 people between 1973 and 1983. The vast majority were disposed of so thoroughly that they were never found...
. After he agreed to cooperate with law enforcement against the crew, Andrei became their first known murder victim. In 1956, Andrei's family immigrated to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. His parents, both survivors of a concentration camp during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, chose to live in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Andrei was four years old at the time. He also had a younger brother by the name of Victor.
Cooperation and murder
In January 1975, Andrei visited the BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
District Attorney's Office
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
and voluntarily provided them information that Chris Rosenberg
Chris Rosenberg
Harvey "Chris" Rosenberg was a Jewish-American member of the DeMeo crew run by Gambino crime family soldier Roy DeMeo. The gang is suspected of between 75–200 murders in the mid 1970s to the early 1980s...
was heavily involved in auto theft. Roy DeMeo
Roy DeMeo
Roy Albert DeMeo was a soldier in the Gambino crime family. He is infamous for heading the DeMeo crew, a gang suspected by the FBI of murdering at least 70 people between 1973 and 1983. The vast majority were disposed of so thoroughly that they were never found...
learned about the meeting immediately after it happened from an Auto Crimes detective on his payroll. Roy ordered Demeo crew associate Henry Borelli to contact his female acquaintance again about being used as bait. In May, Andrei appeared before a Brooklyn grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
and divulged what he knew about the DeMeo crew's illegal activities.
In June 1975, the female friend of Borelli's was used to successfully lure Katz to her apartment complex for what he thought was a date, where upon arrival he was immediately abducted by members of the DeMeo crew. He was then taken to the meat department of a supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, where he was stabbed multiple times in the heart and then the back by a butcher knife
Butcher knife
A butcher knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering and/or dressing of animals.During the late 18th century to mid 1840s, the butcher knife was a key tool for mountain men. Simple, useful and cheap to produce, they were used for everything from skinning beaver, cutting food,...
.
After being decapitated
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
, Katz's head was then crushed when it was put through a machine normally used for compacting cardboard boxes. The body parts were wrapped in plastic bags and then deposited into the supermarket's dumpster, where they were discovered days later when a pedestrian walking his dog spotted one of Katz's legs lying on a curb near the store. The police reported to the press that a grisly, brutal killing had occurred, but that was the extent of the information given. The body was identified as that of Andrei Katz two days later through the use of dental records.
Sources
- Murder Machine by Gene Mustain & Jerry Capeci, 1993, ISBN 0-451-40387-8.