High School Senior Found Dead in New York Apartment

A senior in high school was discovered dead in her apartment in upstate New York after having a brief conversation with her estranged father just before an alleged assault by a friend.

Brianne Keene, 19, a student at Lehman Alternative Community School who was set to graduate in June, was fatally stabbed in her Cayuga Heights apartment on Saturday.

The suspect, identified as Damien Stewart, 20, was arrested at the scene, according to the Cayuga Heights Police Department.

Matthew Keene, Brianne’s father, mentioned her plans to pursue dog training through a program at the State University of New York Cobleskill after graduation.

Matthew noted that their last conversation happened at 1:20 p.m. Saturday, shortly before police received the first report of a stabbing in the apartment complex. He recalled her saying she was fine and hanging out with friends.

The call lasted only 41 seconds, and that would be their final exchange. Later that night, when police came to his home in Ithaca, he sensed something was terribly wrong.

“I just took a knee,” he shared, describing how hard it was to absorb the news.

He indicated that Brianne was still alive when authorities arrived, but sadly she passed away on her way to the hospital.

Brianne had been living alone in an apartment arranged by Learning Web, a local charity focused on housing and career options for at-risk youth.

This past weekend, her father posted a series of conflicting messages on Facebook, fluctuating between memories of his daughter and sharp criticisms of her choices.

In one post, he referenced her alleged romantic involvement with Stewart and implied that adults supervising their interactions played a role in her demise.

Stewart remains in custody at the Tompkins County Jail, facing a second-degree murder charge.