New York: Police officer follows wife and young lover, shoots him and then himself

A police officer allegedly followed his wife and her younger dog-walking lover to a hotel, killed him and then turned the gun on himself.

New York City Police Officer Sean Armstead, 35, called in sick to his midnight shift in the Bronx and followed his wife Alexandra Vanderheyden, 35, and Edward Wilkins, 20, to an upstate hotel, according to the New York Post.

The illicit lovers drove separately to the La Quinta Inn in Wallkill around 3.45pm on Sunday, police sources told the newspaper.

Vanderheyden ran a dog walking business and had Wilkins as one of their employees. She left her car down the street from the hotel and had Wilkins pick her up because she suspected Armstead knew about her affair and could try to find her, the sources said.

According to the sources, the couple stayed at the hotel for a few hours before having dinner at a Golden Corral restaurant. They then walked to a nearby Dave & Busters until about 10.45pm then they walked back to the hotel.

Wilkins dropped Vanderheyden at her car, assuming Armstead would be showing up for work soon. They then drove separately to the hotel.

However, Armstead followed them and caught up with Wilkins as they were traveling on NY-211. Armstead’s car crashed into Wilkins’ vehicle, the sources said. As both cars stopped in the westbound lanes of the state highway, Wilkins ran out of his vehicle.

Armstead then allegedly shot Wilkins in the back of the head as he reached a Buffalo Wild Wings parking lot. The veteran officer then shot himself, sources said.

Vanderheyden had followed the men and found her husband and lover both lying on the ground, surrounded by blood. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene Monday, according to the Wallkill Police Department.

She later told investigators she believes Armstead was tracking her on her phone, sources said.

Vanderheyden’s family described the incident as “a devastating tragedy for the victims and families involved”.

“Our family is directly affected by the traumatic events of late May 8,” said Vanderheyden’s brother Joe Meyer.

“We are awaiting the outcome of the law enforcement investigation to determine exactly what happened.”

Armstead, who was married to Vanderheyden for nine years, joined the New York City Police Department in 2011 and patrolled the Bronx.

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