Manhattan DA charges escort in fentanyl-related killings and robbery scheme
Prosecutors say Tabitha Bundrick fed fentanyl to targets to subdue them, then robbed them across upper Manhattan; she already faces federal drug charges and now 25-to-life state murder counts.
NEW YORK — The Manhattan District Attorney on Wednesday charged Tabitha Bundrick, 38, with three counts of murder and related charges in connection with what prosecutors described as a calculated fentanyl-for-robbery scheme targeting men who hired her for sex in upper Manhattan. Bundrick is already serving a federal prison term after pleading guilty in August to drug-distribution charges tied to the same crime spree, and she was remanded to Rikers Island after her arraignment. The new indictment carries three murder counts and related charges, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the investigation continues as prosecutors urge any surviving victims to come forward. Bragg added that the alleged actions were “extremely calculated” and warned that those who drug and rob unsuspecting victims will be prosecuted.
Prosecutors say the spree began on April 30, 2023, when Bundrick lured Mario Paullan, 42, and another man to an apartment for sex and offered what she claimed was cocaine. Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran said Bundrick pressed the men to take the drugs repeatedly, even as one of them said he had never used such substances before. Paullan died at the scene, and his companion woke to find his friend dead and Bundrick gone. The case is described as the start of a pattern in which Bundrick allegedly supplied fentanyl-laced drugs to vulnerable men, then left with their cash, phones, sneakers, clothes and other belongings.
Five months later, Bundrick encountered Miguel Navez, 39, and the pair went back to his Washington Heights apartment, where she again purportedly distributed fentanyl-laced drugs. Days after that encounter, Navez’s brother found him dead with his pants around his knees and many of his personal belongings cleaned out, Yoran said. Prosecutors described Bundrick as having followed the same scheme: she was captured on surveillance entering and leaving the building with several items, including four pairs of sneakers, as part of the alleged theft. She was arrested on March 5 on robbery charges, but the investigation quickly expanded to the heads of murder counts tied to the later killings.
Prosecutors further allege Bundrick’s pattern continued on February 25, 2024, when she killed Abrihan Fernandez inside his upper Manhattan apartment. The district attorney’s office said Fernandez was another victim who was drugged with fentanyl and robbed, with Bundrick again moving through the building in surveillance photos and removing belongings. Bundrick’s arrest followed days later, and investigators noted she had been seen hauling away more belongings, including a large amount of sneakers, in bags. 
Bundrick’s public defender, Eric Burse, argued at the hearing that his client is not the “cold-hearted” killer prosecutors portray. Burse said Bundrick has faced substantial adversity and struggles with mental health, including a history of childhood sexual abuse. He noted Bundrick was already serving a 13-year federal sentence for drug charges tied to the same string of crimes. The defense stressed Bundrick’s alleged vulnerability and urged the court to consider her background as part of the case’s context. Bragg, however, pressed for accountability, stating that the defendant’s actions left three victims dead and that the community must be protected from such predatory behavior. He urged any other surviving victims to come forward as investigators review additional evidence.
If convicted on the state indictment, Bundrick faces a punishment of 25 years to life in prison. The case highlights the broader health risks associated with fentanyl in the illicit drug supply, including the dangers that can arise in intimate or transaction-based encounters where drugging is used to rob or control victims. The Manhattan DA’s office said the investigation was aided by surveillance footage and recovered items, and officials emphasized the ongoing effort to connect additional victims to the scheme. The health implications of accidental or targeted fentanyl exposure remain a central concern for public safety officials, healthcare providers, and communities affected by the ongoing drug crisis.
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