LI Man Indicted After 'Brutal Torture, Murder' Of Longtime Friend: DA

EAST QUOGUE, NY — An East Quogue man was indicted on charges including first-degree murder after the "brutal torture" of his longtime friend, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Jeremy Allen, 43, of East Quogue, was indicted on the charges after the murder of Christopher Hahn, 43, Tierney said.

According to the investigation, on September 27, Allen and Hahn spent the evening at a bar before heading back to the Allen's East Quogue home on Oakville Avenue; the two had been
friends since high school, Tierney said.

A few minutes after midnight, Allen’s exterior surveillance video captured the sounds of a vicious beating being inflicted on Hahn by Allen that lasted about 18 minutes, the DA said. A few minutes after the beating, Allen’s rear exterior surveillance video captured Allen dragging the badly bruised and semi-conscious Hahn onto his rear deck, the DA said.

Hahn was reportedly left on the back deck, severely injured and unable to stand, Tierney said. Sometime later, Allen was reportedly seen returning to Hahn, and then repeatedly striking him about the head and body with a baseball bat, the DA said. Allen, then aware that Hahn was alive and in distress, was reportedly captured on video leaving and then returning with a plastic bag, then placing the bag over Hahn's head and securing it with a loose knot, Tierney said.

Allen was then captured on surveillance video sitting on a lawn chair a few feet from Hahn and watching him struggle to breathe for about eight minutes, the DA said.

Next, Allen reportedly retrieved a large knife from his home and slowly stabbed Hahn in the neck 10 times — standing over Hahn and watching as he took his last breaths, six hours after the torture began, Tierney said.

Allen contacted his handyman to clean his house the next morning, the DA said. When the handyman arrived, he observed blood throughout the house and Hahn’s body covered with a blanket, feet exposed, on the back deck, Tierney said.

Allen reportedly told the handyman that he could not leave the home, given what he had just observed, the DA said. The handyman, after persuading Allen to allow him to leave the home, fled and called the police, the DA said.

Allen was apprehended at his home shortly thereafter, Tierney said.

On October 10, Allen was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice
Timothy P. Mazzei on charges including first-degree murder, a Class A violent felony; second-degree murder, a Class A violent felony; and tampering with physical evidence, a Class E felony, Tierney said.

Mazzei ordered Allen remanded during the pendency of the case.

Allen is due back in court on November 14 and faces life in prison if convicted on the top count, Tierney said.

He is being represented by Colin Astarita, who could not immediately be reached for comment.

"The alleged actions of this defendant were vicious, brutal, and senseless," Tierney said. "We will do everything in our power to seek justice for Christopher Hahn."