July 27, 1999

FLORIDA MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN GLENDALE LAUNDROMAT KILLING

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a 19 year old Florida man has pled guilty to murdering a Glendale laundromat attendant during a robbery at the Myrtle Avenue store in which she was working last December.

District Attorney Brown said, "Millicent Lemmie was working late and alone when the defendant robbed and murdered her. The defendant's guilty plea ensures swift and certain justice for a brutal murderer.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Michael Mikucki, 19. At the time of the crime he was living in Glendale with a relative at 89-01 Myrtle Avenue. He was charged with murder in the first and second degrees; robbery in the first degree and criminal possession of a weapon.

According to the District Attorney, at about 6:00 p.m. on the evening of December 30th, the defendant entered the Parkway Laundromat at 87-21 Myrtle Avenue in Glendale and confronted the attendant, 30 year old Millicent Lemmie. He asked her for change of a $5.00 bill and when she went to the store's money box to make change the defendant pulled out a hatchet, demanded all of the money and began hitting the victim in the head with the hatchet. The victim collapsed on the floor and the defendant then slit the victim's throat with a fishing knife.

The defendant's guilty plea was entered before Supreme Court Justice Thomas A. Demakos who indicated that he would sentence the defendant to a term of 30 years to life imprisonment on September 7, 1999.

Assistant District Attorney Neil P. Fenton of the District Attorney's Homicide Investigations Bureau, which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Peter T. Reese, and Assistant District Attorney Jack Warsawsky Deputy Chief of the District Attorney's Homicide Trials Bureau, which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Daniel Saunders, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Gregory L. Lasak, were in charge of the case.

#