The vicious caught-on-camera killing of a Brooklyn laundromat owner was masterminded by his cousin in a conspiracy to steal his flashy $30,000 gold necklace, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Five Far Rockaway men were indicted for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, and other charges stemming from the killing of Money Perkins, 37, inside his East Flatbush laundromat on Dec. 1, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced.
Perkins was allegedly ambushed by his cousin Ronnie Butler, 46, and four other assailants who were armed with handguns and wearing big, heavy coats. Perkins and Butler had been feuding with ever since the 2022 opening of his business, Money P. Clean, in 2022, the DA said.
Butler reportedly planned the necklace heist with pal Louis Mercado, 48, who recruited Mercado’s 16-year-old stepson, Zecharyah Slay, and his alleged gangbanger friends Shaleek Riddick, 19, and Diante Stinson, 20, sources previously told The Post.
The stepson and friends were offered cash for their part in the crime, according to prosecutors.
Graphic video footage obtained by The Post shows the moment Perkins was shot dead inside his Clarendon Road business on Dec. 1.
The footage shows Perkins lunging at one of the robbers — identified in court papers as his cousin — before dragging him to the floor as the other robbers stand by. Butler can be seen slamming Perkins’ head repeatedly on the floor before snatching the chain — which he later sold, prosecutors said.
At least three of the robbers fired, striking the victim a total of 13 times in the head, torso, and leg, prosecutors added.
Butler was arraigned Tuesday before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which all the defendants are variously charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree conspiracy and fourth-degree conspiracy.
Riddick and Stinson were arraigned on March 27. The defendants were ordered held without bail and to return to court on May 9.
Slay, who faces a top charge of second-degree murder, was arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Craig Walker on March 13. He was held without bail and ordered to return to court on May 10.
Mercado is set to be arraigned on April 4.
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Isabel Keane
