Man Charged In Suspected Drugging Deaths Of Celebrity Fashion Designer Katie Gallagher & 4 Others

A man has been charged in the suspected drugging death of fashion designer Katie Gallagher and four others, authorities say. The New York County District Attorney’s Office announced on June 21 that it indicted Kenwood Allen, 33, in an alleged “drugging, robbery and larceny spree that totaled 21 victims and caused the deaths of five people, between March and December 2022.” Allen faces multiple charges including 10 counts of second-degree murder, 13 counts of first-degree robbery and 11 counts of second-degree assault. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and a trial date has yet to be confirmed. “These alleged pernicious drugging and robbery schemes have left far too many families mourning the loss of their loved ones. The careful and meticulous work of our prosecutors and the NYPD has led us to charge this individual with a spree of criminal conduct that now includes five murders – four of which took place over a mere 15 days last summer. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to aggressively uncover and investigate these incidents,” Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said in an online statement. Gallagher launched her fashion line in 2010 and was known for creating garments worn by celebrities including Lady Gaga and Laverne Cox. She was found dead in her New York City apartment in July 2022, weeks shy of her 36th birthday. Police ruled her death a homicide in March and suspected at the time that she was one of multiple victims who were robbed after suffering fatal drug overdoses, the New York Times reported.