NEW YORK (PIX11) — A man found guilty of the murder of multiple homeless men in Chinatown has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Thursday.
Randy Santos, 31, attacked six victims while they were sleeping in different areas of the neighborhood during the early morning hours of Oct. 5, 2019, killing five of them by repeatedly striking them with a metal bar, according to court documents.
Get ongoing crime and safety coverage on our homepage
The sixth victim survived with serious injuries, officials said.
“The chilling murders committed by Randy Santos shook New York City,” said Bragg. “He displayed an appalling disregard for the lives of his victims, who were completely defenseless and unable to protect themselves.”
Witnesses called 911, and police were able to take Santos into custody while he was seen with the metal bar near the intersection of Mulberry and Canal Streets, according to officials.
Further investigations revealed that Santos was involved in a similar attack in September 2019.
During that incident, Santos struck a man repeatedly in the head and neck while he was sleeping on a bench at Chelsea Piers. Santos then attempted to throw the victim over a railing and into the Hudson River, according to officials.
Discover more local reporting on our homepage
Santos was convicted of multiple counts of murder, multiple counts of attempted murder, and one count of attempted assault, according to court documents.
Andrew Cruz is a digital content producer. A native New Yorker, he joined PIX11 in 2009 as a weather producer. More of his work can be found here.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.