A Laurelton man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the stabbing death of his half-brother in Queens Village last year, according to District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Wkorasky Voltaire, 30, stood before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder Wednesday, July 6 and admitted to the charge of manslaughter in the first degree.
According to the charges, Voltaire met his brother McKenzie Placide shortly before 5 a.m. on May 14, 2020 at an uninhabited Queens Village house on 208th Street where they once lived with their mother, who previously passed away. Voltaire was in possession of two kitchen knives when he arrived at the house and began to argue with his brother.
As the disagreement escalated, Voltaire pulled out one of the knives and stabbed the 22-year-old victim. When the knife blade broke, Placide tried to escape and was able to run out of the house.
Katz said Voltaire chased after his brother, armed with the second knife, and caught up to the victim and repeatedly stabbed him. He left his brother bleeding and dying in the street with a total of 137 stab wounds.
According to the charges, when police arrived at the scene, officers found the victim near death and rushed him to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. Placide was able to speak and told the police that it was his brother who had attacked him. He died soon afterwards at the hospital.
“This was a senseless act of violence,” Katz said. “The defendant chased down his younger sibling and brutally stabbed him to death. The defendant has now admitted his guilt and will be sentenced by the court for taking a life.”
Justice Holder set sentencing for July 21, at which time he indicated that he will order Voltaire to prison for 19 years, to be followed by five years’ post release supervision.
