The true-crime docuseriesHomicide: New Yorkopens with an exploration of the Carnegie Deli murders, a shocking murder case that rocked New York City in May 2001. Though Dick Wolf’s TV shows are iconic within the crime drama genre, such asthe massiveLaw & Orderfranchise,Homicide: New Yorkis one of the few docuseries Wolf produced. However, it is even more shocking as the series deals with the real cases and infamous crimes in the Big Apple over the years. Notably, the Carnegie Deli murders are the first case that is tackled.
The Carnegie Deli murders gripped the public as they featured so many shocking and intriguing elements.From the murder of an actress to the crime occurring at a famous New York City establishment(or at least the apartment above it), these murders were all over the media at the time.Homicide: New Yorkdelves into the details of the disturbing crime, but there is even more to uncover about what happened and the aftermath of the Carnegie Deli murders.
The Carnegie Deli Murders Explained
The Crimes Left Three People Dead
On August 14, 2025, Jennifer Stahl was spending the evening with friends in her apartment, which was located above the famed Carnegie Deli in Midtown Manhattan. Stahl was joined by her friend Stephen King (no relation to thehorror author of the same name), who was working in the apartment that night. Stahl’s hairdresser, Anthony Veader, was also there, as well as Charles “Trey” Hillewell and his girlfriend Rosemond Dane, Stahl’s friends who were visiting from out of town.
Hillewell and King were killed instantly, while Stahl later succumbed to her injuries. Both Dane and Veader survived.
Still early in the evening, two men, Sean Salley and Andre “Dre” Smith. King, came to the apartment and were let in by Stahl as they had previously purchased marijuana from her in the past. Once inside the apartment, the men held the guests at gunpoint, binding them with duct tape.Stahl and her five guests were then shot execution-stylebefore Salley and Smith left the apartment with several hundreds of dollars in cash as well as some marijuana. Hillewell and King were killed instantly, while Stahl later succumbed to her injuries. Both Dane and Veader survived.
Who Jennifer Stahl Was
Stahl Was An Actress Who Appeared In Dirty Dancing
At the center of the murders was Jennifer Stahl, who became a victim of great interest to the public when details of the crime made their way to the media. Born on June 24, 2025,Stahl was an aspiring actor whose most notable role in her career was playing a backup dancer inthe iconic movieDirty Dancing, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Her last on-screen role before her death was in the 1992 movieI’m Your Man. Since then, Stahl had been working independently on her music while also starting an illegal business selling marijuana.
While many of her close friends confirmed that she was a drug dealer, they were also quick to point out that she was a kind and friendly person who mostly sold weed to people that she knew. However, following the murders, there were some who labeled her as a rebel who sought out high-risk situations, with aNew York Timespiece from 2001 providing a particularly critical profile of Stahl. However,Homicide: New Yorkfeatured many people defending Stahl’s character, claiming she was safe and sold drugs to support her artistic ambitions.
Rosemond Dane And Anthony Veader Survived The Ordeal
Veader Managed To Call 911
While the Carnegie Deli Massacre claimed the lives of three people, two of the intended victims managed to survive.Rosemond Dane and Anthony Veader were both shot while bound like the others, but did not die from their injuries. In fact, Veader was able to untie himself after Salley and Smith had left the apartment and called the police. Neither Dane nor Veader has spoken much about the ordeal since it happened, though Veader did appear inHomicide: New Yorkto detail his experiences.
Both victims gave crucial testimony at the trials in which they described the horrific details of the crime. Dane recalled Stahl having doubts about letting Salley and Smith into the apartment just moments before they entered with guns. She also remembered hearing Stahl pleading with the gunmen not to hurt anyone and to just take what they wanted.
Both Dane and Veader gave emotional testimonies in the trial, describing the aftermath of being shot. Dane recalled attempting to comfort her boyfriend, Charles “Trey” Hillewell, after he had been shot but admitted, “I knew that he was dying” (viaNY Post). Veader remembers that after calling 911, he called his partner to tell him he loved him, not knowing if he was going to survive.
Andre “Dre” Smith And Sean Salley Were Convicted Of The Murders
Each Man Blamed The Other For The Murders
While Andre “Dre” Smith and Sean Salley did manage to steal nearly $1,000 from Stahl’s apartment after the murders, investigators found that they left behind considerably more money in marijuana. Investigators concluded that the crime was purely financially motivated and was carried out in a rush by the two assailants. Following the murders, surveillance footage was discovered of Smith and Salley, leading to Smith being picked up by police.
Though Smith initially refused to confess to any aspect of the crime,he eventually talked to police after he was told his fingerprints were found on the duct tape used to bind the victims. Smith alleged that Salley had approached him about the robbery, insisting it would be an easy job where no violence would be necessary. Smith also suggested that Salley shot Stahl by accident and proceeded to shoot the other to avoid being identified.
Meanwhile, Salley had fled New York following the murders. After police confirmed him as a suspect in the case, Salley was featured as a fugitive on the crime docuseriesAmerica’s Most Wanted. This nationwide search for Salley led to him being arrested in Miami. Police then interrogated him over the crime, in whichhe claimed the gun went off accidentally and killed Stahl, but insisted that it was Smith who shot the others.
With both suspects blaming the other for the murders, it was necessary that they receive separate trials. However, in an unorthodox move, the trials were conducted in the same courtroom and at the same time with two separate juries and one judge overseeing the entire affair. In the end, both Smith and Salley were convicted of three counts of second-degree murder, one conviction each for their victims.They were sentenced to three consecutive terms of 25 years to life in prison without parole.
What Homicide: New York Leaves Out Of The Story
Aspects Of The Trial Were Omitted
The Netflix true-crime docuseriesHomicide: New Yorkgives an extensive look into the Carnegie Deli Massacre, including interviews with detectives, loved ones of the victims, and even survivor Anthony Veader. While this gives a complete picture of the story, there are some interesting details that are not included in the episode, including some aspects of the trial.
Alleging that he was intimidated by police during his interrogation, Salley suggested that he was forced by Smith to participate in the crime.
While survivor Rosemond Dane was not featured inHomicide: New York, she did give emotional testimony at the trial while also speaking against the prospect of Smith and Salley being eligible for parole. To add to the already strange proceedings of the trial, Salley also changed his story once the trial began. Alleging that he was intimidated by police during his interrogation, Salley suggested that he was forced by Smith to participate in the crime.
There are also some interesting aspects about how the murders were a distinctively fascinating and unsettling crime for New Yorkers. While Midtown Manhattan was once a place where drug den robberies might be commonplace, the area of the city had become a tourist destination hotspot and was considered quite safe. As covered inHomicide: New York, the murders were seen as a possible sign of the city returning to those darker and more violent days.
