Kevin Gavin, 71, has pleaded guilty to killing three elderly neighbors at the Carter G. Woodson Houses in Brooklyn. Prosecutors say the victims—Myrtle McKinney (82), Jacolia James (83) and Juanita Caballero (78)—were murdered between 2015 and 2021 after hiring Gavin for help. Surveillance tied Gavin to one victim's debit card, he confessed to the crimes, and a plea deal calls for 30 years to life in prison. NYCHA has since increased camera coverage at the complex.
Brooklyn Handyman Pleads Guilty To Murdering Three Elderly Neighbors At Senior Housing Complex
Woodson Houses in Brooklyn, New York. (Google Maps)(Google Maps)
Kevin Gavin, 71, pleaded guilty on Friday to the killings of three elderly women who lived in the same Brooklyn public housing complex and had hired him for help, the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office said. Prosecutors described Gavin as a 'serial killer inside his own apartment building' after he admitted to killing the victims between 2015 and 2021.
Details Of The Crimes
The victims were Myrtle McKinney (82), Jacolia James (83) and Juanita Caballero (78). According to the DA's office, McKinney was stabbed in the neck on November 8, 2015. James died on April 30, 2019, after sustaining severe injuries when Gavin reportedly stomped on her neck and chest; earlier statements had described the death as strangulation. Caballero was strangled with a telephone cord in her apartment on January 14, 2021.
Investigation And Arrest
Investigators said surveillance footage later showed Gavin using Caballero's debit card a few days after her death. He was arrested roughly a week after her body was found and subsequently confessed to all three killings, telling detectives he had disputes over money and that he 'fought with each victim prior to their death,' the DA's office said.
Community Impact And Security Response
The killings prompted alarm among residents of the Carter G. Woodson Houses, a NYCHA senior complex in Brownsville where Gavin lived and where the victims resided. In early 2022 the housing authority announced installation of 127 cameras across the two-building complex; a NYCHA spokesperson said on Friday the site now has 140 cameras.
Legal Outcome
Gavin pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in exchange for a proposed sentence of 30 years to life in prison. His formal sentencing is scheduled for May 30. District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said, in part, that Gavin 'exploited elderly women who trusted him, gained access to their homes, and murdered them in a series of brutal attacks that shocked the conscience.'
Note: The facts in this report are drawn from the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office and original reporting; ages, dates and the sequence of events reflect the official statements released by prosecutors.
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