An NYPD officer who saw red after discovering his wife was having an affair with a younger man lashed out in jealousy, costing him and her partner their lives.
Officer Sean Armstead, 36, was supposed to work a midnight shift in the Bronx on May 8, 2022. Instead, he called out and followed his wife, 35-year-old Alexandra Vanderheyden, and her alleged lover, 20-year-old Edward Wilkins. Wilkins was reportedly an employee at Vanderheyden's dog grooming business.
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Armstead followed Vanderheyden to Orange County, New York. There, she met Wilkins at a La Quinta Inn in Wallkill at 3:45 p.m. Vanderheyden was suspicious she was being followed, so she left her car blocks from the hotel and had Wilkins pick her up. They were there for several hours before leaving again, at which point they felt safe because they anticipated Armstead would be getting ready for work and would surely be back in the Bronx.
The two went out to eat at a Golden Corral, then spent some time at Dave and Buster's before returning to the hotel. They stopped for Vanderheyden to grab her car. At some point of the drive on NY-211, Armstead began chasing Wilkins in their cars.
Armstead crashed into Wilkins' car, causing both to spin out. Wilkins jumped out of his car and began to run as soon as it came to a stop. Armstead wasn't far behind. He began shooting at Wilkins as he ran into a Buffalo Wild Wings parking lot.
Wilkins was hit in the back of the head by one of the 16 bullets shot at him. Armstead realized what he'd done and turned the gun on himself, dying by suicide. Vanderheyden pulled up at the scene and was horrified by the realization that both were dead.
"Our family has been directly impacted by the traumatic events that occurred late on May 8," Joe Meyer, her brother, said in a statement on behalf of their family.
"We're awaiting the outcome of the law enforcement investigation to determine exactly what happened. We ask the members of the media to respect the privacy of the families and victims involved in this tragic event and to allow law enforcement to effectively investigate."
Armstead and Vanderheyden had been married for nine years. His suspicions that she was having an affair were recent. Armstead had a history of questionable conduct, with five complaints filed against him in three separate incidents in 2013 and 2014 that included claims of abuse of authority and excessive force. None of the claims were ever substantiated.
