QUEENS, NY – Queens detectives made an arrest in connection with a deadly vehicle robbery that resulted in the death of Mauro Chimbay, after he tried to stop the theft of his car. Kenny Panama, 36, was taken into custody on Jan. 12 and now faces murder and other charges related to the incident that occurred at the 2500 block of 85th Street in East Elmhurst, Queens in November 2023.
According to law enforcement sources, the incident happened on Nov. 15, 2023, when Chimbay caught someone stealing from his parked car. When he confronted the suspect, the thief fled into a nearby white sedan, driven by a second suspect. Chimbay attempted to stop the car and held onto the hood, but was thrown from the vehicle as it drove away, resulting in severe head trauma.
Chimbay was later found by officers from the 115th Precinct and was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Panama, who has a history of prior arrests including charges of burglary, gang assault, and DWI, faces multiple charges in relation to the incident, including murder, robbery, and assault.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to search for the second individual involved in the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. All calls and messages will be kept confidential.
In summary, Kenny Panama was arrested and faces charges in connection with the deadly vehicle robbery that resulted in the death of Mauro Chimbay. The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to search for the second suspect.