On the evening of October 18, 1988, 26-year-old NYPD Officer Christopher Hoban, a Caucasian undercover narcotics officer, was killed during a buy operation in an apartment on West 105th Street in Manhattan. Hoban and his partner entered the apartment to make a drug purchase; the three men inside became suspicious and searched Hoban’s partner, finding his service weapon. Hoban drew his own firearm and a close-quarters shootout followed. Both Hoban and one of the suspects were shot and fatally wounded. Hoban was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he died.

Police arrested one suspect at the scene and the third man fled; the fugitive was captured by the FBI in San Juan, Puerto Rico, nine days later. Both surviving defendants were later convicted in Hoban’s murder. Bienvenido Castillo, who was 25 at the time of his 1990 sentencing, received 57 years and two months to life; the other man received 25 years to life.