Man Who Beat Social Worker to Death After She Mistakenly Knocked on His Door Convicted of Murder

A New York man has been convicted of murder for brutally attacking and killing a social worker who accidentally knocked on the wrong apartment door.

Hasseem Jenkins was found guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

The charges stem from a May 14, 2024, incident in Peekskill, N.Y., when social worker Maria Coto, 56, was conducting a home visit, according to the Westchester District Attorney’s Office. Authorities said Jenkins “repeatedly punched [Coto] in the face, chased her into a neighbor’s apartment, and repeatedly kicked her in the head while wearing heavy boots.”

As a result of the assault, Coto sustained severe head trauma, including a brain bleed, swelling, and facial fractures. She died in the hospital five weeks later.

“Maria Coto’s life was cut short on May 14, 2024,” District Attorney Susan Cacace said in a statement. “As proved during a multi-week trial, Hasseem Jenkins beat her until the nerves in her brain stem were severed beyond repair, hurling repeated epithets as she lay dying on the floor.”

The statement also honored Coto’s dedication to her work: “Maria devoted her brief time on Earth to helping others. She was a petite woman with an uncommonly generous spirit. She will live on in all the lives she touched along the way.”

According to CBS, investigators said Coto had arrived at an apartment building for a visit and mistakenly knocked on Jenkins’ door. Prosecutors said Jenkins was under the influence of PCP at the time of the attack.

Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced in December, prosecutors said.