John Menendez
Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II announced today that a former Hudson County corrections officer has been sentenced to 50 years for the fatal shootings of his girlfriend and her friend in 2021. The Honorable Ronald D. Wigler presided over both the trial and the sentencing.
The prosecution proved that on February 16, 2021, 27-year-old John Menendez of West New York picked up his girlfriend, 40-year-old Anna Shpilberg of Randolph and her friend, 40-year-old Luiza Shinkarevskaya of Newark, at Newark Airport after they returned from a trip to Mexico. Menendez drove the victims to an off-airport parking lot where he shot his girlfriend in the head. Menendez then shot Shinkarevskaya four times. They died of their injuries.
Menendez turned himself into police and admitted to shooting both women. Menendez claimed he was taking large amounts of anabolic steroids, and that made him unable to plan or intend to kill. However, numerous text messages between Menendez and his girlfriend in the days leading up to the homicides reflected that he was angry and jealous about their trip to Mexico without him.
“This was a senseless act of domestic violence that resulted in the tragic death of two women. We hope this sentence provides closure to Anna and Luiza’s families and sends a clear message that illegal steroid use is not an excuse for violence,” said Assistant Prosecutor Austin Edwards.
Menendez pled guilty to two counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter on March 4. On Tuesday July 22, he was sentenced to 25 years for each count, to be served consecutively in New Jersey State Prison. Under the New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, Menendez must serve 85% of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
The public is encouraged to report any information related to criminal activity by contacting the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. All calls will be kept confidential.
