NYC "Hooker from Hell" Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Fentanyl-Fueled Murders and Robberies

Tabitha Bundrick, 39, was sentenced Tuesday to 27 years to life in prison for the fentanyl-induced murders and subsequent robberies of three men in New York City. The sentence comes after Bundrick pleaded guilty last month to three counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree assault.

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran stated that Bundrick engaged in a "deliberate and repetitive" scheme between April 2023 and February 2024. Her method involved administering fentanyl to her victims, causing them to lose consciousness, after which she would steal their valuables. "Robberies were the motive, fentanyl was the means and murder was the result," Yoran told the court.

During a highly emotional hearing, family members of the victims—Mario Paullan, Miguel Navez, and Abrihan Fernandez—addressed Bundrick. Brigida Rodriguez, mother of Abrihan Fernandez, spoke through tears, saying, "She took part of my heart." Rodriguez described her son as a college graduate who came to the U.S. seeking a better future, a future tragically cut short when Bundrick drugged him with fentanyl on Feb. 25, 2024. "Half of my heart is missing because she doesn’t have one," Rodriguez stated, pointing to Bundrick.

Aylin, daughter of Mario Paullan, remembered her father as a "happy man" who was hard-working and loved his children. Paullan, 42, was killed after Bundrick convinced him and a friend to come to an apartment for sex, offering what she claimed was cocaine laced with fentanyl. Prosecutors said she repeatedly pressured Paullan to consume the drugs, despite his telling her he had never used them before. He died at the scene, while his friend awoke to find him deceased and Bundrick gone with his belongings.

Navez, 39, was similarly drugged with fentanyl-laced cocaine in his apartment by Bundrick. His brother discovered his body two days later, noting that personal items were missing. In February 2024, Bundrick committed her third murder, drugging Abrihan Fernandez, 34, in his Manhattan apartment. Surveillance footage showed Bundrick leaving the apartment with several large bags, reportedly filled with sneakers and other stolen items.

Bundrick was arrested in March and had already been serving a federal sentence. She pleaded guilty to narcotics distribution and received a 13-year prison term. She also pleaded guilty to the state charges on Sept. 8. In court, Bundrick apologized and attributed her actions to a severe drug addiction, stating it led her to "make bad choices and bad decisions just to get high."

Her new state sentence will run concurrently with her federal sentence. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Kathryn Paak presided over the sentencing. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg issued a statement, saying, "Tabitha Bundrick’s absolutely callous conduct has left three devastated families." He added, "Today in court, we heard powerful statements from the loved ones of the defendants victims, who are still mourning in anguish. I hope this prison sentence will allow for some measure of healing."