EAST QUOGUE, NY – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Jeremy Allen, 44, of East Quogue, was convicted after a jury trial of Murder in the First Degree and Tampering with Physical Evidence for the prolonged torture and killing of his longtime friend, Christopher Hahn, 43.
This defendant betrayed a bond of friendship in the most horrific way imaginable, and today’s verdict holds him accountable,” District Attorney Tierney said. “The evidence showed deliberate cruelty carried out over several hours. I thank the prosecutors for their tireless work, the Suffolk County Police Department Homicide Squad for its thorough investigation, and the jury for its careful consideration of the evidence.”
Evidence Presented at Trial
Trial testimony and video evidence established that on September 27, 2024, Allen and the victim spent the evening together at a bar before returning to Allen’s East Quogue residence. The two men had been friends since high school.
Shortly after midnight, Allen began violently assaulting the victim inside the home. Exterior surveillance video captured the sounds of the beating, which lasted approximately 18 minutes. Video footage later showed Allen dragging the bruised and semi-conscious victim onto the rear deck.
The victim was left outside, badly injured and unable to stand. Allen later returned and repeatedly struck the victim’s head and body with a baseball bat. Despite knowing the victim was still alive and in visible distress, Allen placed a plastic bag over the victim’s head, secured it loosely, and sat nearby while the victim struggled to breathe for approximately eight minutes.
Allen then retrieved a large knife from inside the home and stabbed the victim in the neck 10 times. Evidence showed Allen stood over the victim and watched as he died, nearly six hours after the torture began.
Attempted Cover-Up and Arrest
After the killing, Allen attempted to clean blood from inside the home and from the rear deck. He also contacted his handyman and asked him to assist with cleaning. When the handyman arrived, he observed blood throughout the residence and saw the victim’s body covered with a blanket on the back deck.
Allen told the handyman he could not leave after witnessing what had occurred. The handyman ultimately escaped the home and immediately contacted police. Allen was arrested at the residence shortly thereafter.
Conviction and Sentencing Exposure
On January 21, 2026, following a jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei, Allen was convicted of:
- Murder in the First Degree, a Class A felony
- Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony
Allen is scheduled to return to court on February 26, 2026, where he faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Motive
Prosecutors have not publicly identified a specific motive for the killing. Court records and trial evidence focused on the actions themselves rather than a triggering dispute, and authorities have not alleged that the murder was motivated by robbery, financial gain, gang activity, or a premeditated plan formed in advance of the evening. Investigators have said the case was prosecuted based on the overwhelming video, forensic, and eyewitness evidence documenting the prolonged torture and killing, rather than on establishing why the defendant carried out the attack.
Key Facts and Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Jeremy Allen, 44, of East Quogue |
| Victim | Christopher Hahn, 43 |
| Relationship | Longtime friends since high school |
| Crime | Torture killing resulting in first-degree murder conviction |
| Location | Defendant’s residence, East Quogue, New York |
| Date of Crime | September 27–28, 2024 |
| Nature of Attack | Prolonged beating, blunt force trauma, suffocation, and stabbing |
| Duration of Assault | Approximately six hours |
| Key Evidence | Exterior surveillance video, physical evidence, witness testimony |
| Method of Killing | Beating, baseball bat strikes, suffocation with plastic bag, stabbing |
| Cover-Up Efforts | Attempted cleaning of blood; removal of evidence; contacting handyman to clean |
| How Police Were Alerted | Handyman fled the residence and called police |
| Arrest Location | Defendant’s home in East Quogue |
| Charges | Murder in the First Degree; Tampering with Physical Evidence |
| Trial Court | Suffolk County Supreme Court |
| Presiding Judge | Justice Timothy P. Mazzei |
| Verdict Date | January 21, 2026 |
| Verdict | Guilty on all counts |
| Potential Sentence | Life in prison without the possibility of parole |
| Next Court Date | February 26, 2026 |
| Prosecuting Office | Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office |
