Randy Santos

Randy Santos, a 31-year-old man, is newsworthy due to his recent conviction for first-degree murder. In 2019, Santos fatally beat four sleeping men – Chuen Kok, Anthony Manson, Florencio Moran, and Nazario Vasquez Villegas – in New York City's Chinatown using a metal bar. His lawyers conceded that he committed the acts with intent to kill. During the trial, Santos' defense team argued an insanity plea, claiming he suffered from schizophrenia and was hearing voices instructing him to kill 40 people to save his own life. He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia shortly before the attacks. However, the jury rejected the insanity defense, finding him guilty. The case highlights issues surrounding mental health, homelessness, and violence in urban areas, and the legal complexities of the insanity defense.