Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Brutal Social Worker Murder

A man who brutally murdered a Hudson Valley social services worker is going to be serving decades behind bars.

Hasseem Jenkins of Peekskill learned his sentenced following the vicious murder of a 56-year-old woman.

Westchester County Social Worker Killed In Peekskill

Maria Coto was beaten to death by Jenkins when she accidentally knocked on the wrong door in 2024.

"She devoted her life to helping others in desperate circumstances, which included numerous trips into the field to meet clients where they lived. For that, she paid dearly, Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace stated.

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Coto conducted a site visit at 900 South Street in Peekskill on May 14, 2024, at approximately 3:10 p.m.

Officials say Jenkins repeatedly punched Coto in the face, chased her into a neighbor’s apartment, and repeatedly kicked her in the head while wearing heavy boots.

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Sentenced To 23 Years To Life In Prison

In November 2025, a Westchester County jury found Jenkins guilty of:

• Murder in the Second Degree (Felony Murder, class A-I felony)
• Manslaughter in the First Degree (class B felony)
• Robbery in the First Degree (class B felony)
• Burglary in the First Degree (class B felony)
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree (class D felony)

This week, he was sentenced to spend 23 years to life in prison.

"Justice was served today. Maria Coto was a beacon of light in Westchester County,' Cacace said. "Her savage murder is a reminder of the risks our county employees face daily when they go into the community. And it must serve as a wake-up call to all of us in county government."

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