An incident that occurred in March 2023 reached a legal resolution, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Last Thursday, following a trial, Zaire Allen, 21, and Hassan Winston, 24, were convicted of the gunpoint robbery and murder of 24-year-old Alonza Georgia, as stated by District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. The incident took place in the lobby of Georgia’s apartment building at NYCHA’s Saint Nicholas Houses.
The convictions included Murder in the Second Degree, Robbery in the First Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, among other charges, an outcome that materialized nearly two years after the death of Georgia; a sentencing date is pending for September 16. Following the jury’s verdict, District Attorney Bragg stated, "Today, a jury of Zaire Allen and Hassan Winston’s peers found them responsible for the murder of Alonza Georgia in a vicious robbery which turned fatal." He also recognized the ongoing impact on Georgia’s family and commended the efforts of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit, according to the Manhattan D.A.’s announcement.
During the trial, the prosecution outlined how Allen and Winston—friends who had traveled from Philadelphia to New York City—confronted Alonza Georgia, displaying firearms and ultimately shooting him during a struggle that moved from the lobby of his building to the area outside his residence. Amid the confrontation, the assailants took Georgia’s belongings, collecting cash from the ground near his body before fleeing the scene in an Enterprise box truck.
Subsequent investigations by the NYPD, in coordination with the Cheltenham Police Department in Pennsylvania, led to the arrest of the suspects. Allen was located and taken into custody in Baltimore, Maryland, after initially evading law enforcement. A search of Winston's apartment resulted in the recovery of a firearm and clothing connected to the crime. These details were presented during the trial and cited in the Manhattan D.A.’s press release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jean Prisco and Sean Flatow, with acknowledgment given to Detectives Daniel Wadolowski and Edward Stackpole for their investigative efforts.
