Man Accused in Mamaroneck Homicide Arraigned

Reginald Powell, 55, was arraigned this morning in Westchester County Court in White Plains on eight felony charges.

The charges include first and second-degree murder, second-degree burglary, two counts each of third-degree grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a controlled substance as well as a seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance charge, a misdemeanor, all relating to the death of Mamaroneck resident Jennifer Katz on Dec. 30, 2010.

Powell was charged with first degree murder because of the underlying burglary felony that also occurred on at the time of the murder, said Westchester District Attorney Spokesperson Lucian Chalfen.

Powell was led into the courtroom from a side entrance reserved for prisoners and was wearing a creased blue blazer and black pants. His Legal Aid Attorney, Dina Denlea, accompanied him. There were no family members present in the courtroom.

Powell appeared before Judge Barry E. Warhit, the duty judge serving, but is due back in court on July 13 in front of Judge Albert Lorenzo, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Powell will be remanded to Westchester County Jail in Valhalla, where he has been since his arrest in December. Powell was on parole for the murder of a Mamaroneck taxi driver, when he was arrested in December. He had served 25 ½ years of his murder sentence before being paroled in 2008.

This is the second time Powell has appeared in court since his appearance in the Village of Mamaroneck (VOM) court for a felony burglary charge on January 6. 

On December 30, 2010 Powell was pulled over by an NYPD officer for making an illegal left turn while driving Katz’s SUV through Central Harlem at approximately 9:20 p.m. He fled the car on foot, but was arrested shortly thereafter by police. 

Police found four of Katz’s gold rings in Powell’s possession, as well as narcotics, according to a statement released by the Westchester DA’s office.

Once in custody, Powell made reference to a body at a home in Mamaroneck. The NYPD contacted the VOM police, who subsequently conducted an investigation of the Baldwin Place home and found Katz’s body, said the statement.

A determination of readiness (DOR) court date was set for Sept. 21 with Judge Albert Lorenzo.

Assistant District Attorney Timothy Ward, Chief of Career Criminal Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Michelle Lopez, Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau are prosecuting the case.