Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of LENUE MOORE, 32, for shooting and killing Jacqueline Billini, 57; her friend Levaughn Harvin, 42; and Billini’s dog, Zeus. MOORE is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with one count of Murder in the First Degree, two counts of Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, one count of Aggravated Criminal Contempt, and one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals. [1]
“As alleged, Lenue Moore tracked down and fired multiple shots at Jacqueline Billini, Harvin Levaughn and a dog in a vicious act of cruelty after Ms. Billini appropriately reported Mr. Moore to law enforcement for previous alleged acts of violence,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Two beloved New Yorkers are dead, and my thoughts are with their utterly devastated family members in their ongoing grief. The presence of a gun makes any situation far more likely to turn lethal, and ridding our streets of illegal firearms and the violence they bring remains my top priority as district attorney.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, MOORE had an ongoing dispute with Jacqueline Billini, his neighbor, over noise. On April 11, 2023, he broke Billini’s arm and injured another individual while trying to kick in her apartment door. In the same incident, he injured a third individual while swinging a hammer through a crack in the door. Billini reported the incident to the police and Orders of Protection were issued for all three victims. On April 24, 2023, MOORE was charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with two counts each of Burglary in the First Degree and Assault in the Third Degree, and one count each of Burglary in the Second Degree and Assault in the Second Degree. [1] Those allegations are pending in court.
On September 29, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Billini was out walking her dogs with her friend Levaughn Harvin near West 165th Street and Edgecombe Avenue. MOORE came up behind them and fired approximately 12 shots. MOORE struck Billini in the back of the head, killing her, and struck Harvin in the neck, damaging major blood vessels and killing him. One of Billini’s dogs, Zeus, was also fatally shot in the upper portion of his back.
MOORE fled towards Amsterdam Avenue and boarded a southbound M101 bus. On October 10, 2023, the NYPD tracked him to an apartment in Queens, executed a court-authorized search warrant, and seized a firearm allegedly used in the murder, though MOORE was not there at the time. On October 26, 2023, the police tracked MOORE down to an apartment in Brooklyn, where he was found hiding under a bed, and placed him under arrest.
Assistant D.A.s Joshua Steinglass (Senior Trial Counsel) and Kristin Bailey are handling the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Robert Ferrari (Chief of Trial Bureau 40), and Executive D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Trial Preparation Assistants Madeleine Dupee and Paige Unterman, and Investigative Analyst Natalie Bueno are also assisting in the investigation.
D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, especially Det. Randy Rose of Manhattan South Homicide, Det. Alejandro Rivas of the 33rd Precinct Detective Squad, and Det. Matthew Vorraro of the U.S. Marshalls Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Defendant Information:
LENUE MOORE
Manhattan, NY
Charged:
- Murder in the First Degree, an A-I felony, one count
- Murder in the Second Degree, an A-I felony, two counts
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, two counts
- Aggravated Criminal Contempt, a class D felony, one count
- Aggravated Cruelty to Animals, a class E felony, one count
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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.