A man already convicted of one killing shot his own niece dead in the Bronx — and police say a family fight over a house is what set him off.
Story Snapshot
- Michael Foster, 60, of Mount Vernon is charged with murder after shooting his niece, Julia Anderson, 39, through her car window in the Bronx.
- Police say the killing grew out of a dispute over the deed to the two-family home where both of them lived.
- Foster was already banned from owning guns because of a 1991 manslaughter conviction — yet police found weapons, including a long gun, at his home.
- A judge sent Foster to jail without bail, with the prosecutor telling the court: “This is the second person he’s killed, your honor.”
A Deadly Ambush on a Bronx Street
Julia Anderson was driving her Jeep Cherokee home from work when a gunman on a moped pulled alongside her and fired multiple shots through the passenger-side window, hitting her in the abdomen. She was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where she died from her wounds. Anderson, 39, worked for a nonprofit and was described by her boss as someone about whom “there is not one bad word uttered.” She was also an aspiring rapper who had performed alongside a well-known New York hip-hop artist.
Police arrested Michael Foster, 60, of Mount Vernon the day after the shooting. Investigators recovered weapons from his home — the same two-family house where Anderson also lived — including a long gun. Sources told CBS News New York that Foster made incriminating admissions when New York Police Department detectives questioned him at the home the night of the shooting. He was charged with murder, manslaughter, and 10 counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
A Prior Killer, an Illegal Gun, and a Family Feud
Foster is legally barred from owning firearms. He was convicted of manslaughter in 1991 for a shooting in Mount Vernon. Despite that ban, police found guns in his home. At his court appearance, Bronx Assistant District Attorney Burim Namani made the stakes plain to the judge: “This is the second person he’s killed, your honor.” The judge agreed and sent Foster to jail without setting bail. No defense statement or denial from Foster or his lawyer has been made public.
Law enforcement sources say the motive was a dispute over the deed to the home the two shared. Investigators have not released full details about the property conflict, and no court filing has yet confirmed the exact legal claim at the center of the feud. What is clear is that a fight over a house ended with a young woman dead and her uncle behind bars facing a murder charge.
When Family Disputes Turn Fatal
This case is not an isolated tragedy. A national survey found that 35% of adults have experienced family conflict tied to poor or nonexistent estate planning. Experts note that fights over family homes are often more explosive than disputes over money. A house carries memories and identity, not just dollar value. When ownership is unclear or a will is outdated, courts and families are left to sort out the mess — sometimes with devastating results.
New York’s inheritance laws add another layer of complexity. When someone dies without a clear, up-to-date will, the state’s rules take over and divide property in ways that can leave family members feeling cheated or shut out. Legal experts say the single best way to prevent these conflicts is a valid, updated estate plan that spells out exactly who gets what and why. Without one, a family home can become a flashpoint — and in the worst cases, a motive for violence. Julia Anderson’s death is a grim reminder of what can happen when that planning never happens.
Sources:
nypost.com, public.courts.in.gov, cleveland.com, law.justia.com, maricopacountyattorney.org
