Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Midtown Slasher’ of Netflix’s ‘Homicide: New York,’ the focus is on the tragic March 1996 murder of Howard Pilmar, the owner of King Group and Philip’s Coffee. Decades later, his own wife, Roslyn Pilmar, and her brother, Evan Wald, were found guilty of killing him. Just a kid at the time of his father’s demise, Philip Pilmar was considered the second victim of the crime as he had to be raised without a father and by his later-convicted mother. While the episode doesn’t include an interview with Philip, his statements in court suggest that he was on the side of Roslyn.
Who is Philip Pilmar?
Philip Nathan Pilmar was welcomed into the world in 1986 by Howard and Roslyn Pilmar, who lived in a swanky Upper East Side apartment at the time. Growing up in a wealthy family, Philip attended a private school and already had a coffee shop named after him by his loving father. But tragedy struck around the age of 10 as his father was found murdered in his office. He was mostly taken care of by his nanny, Allyson, who noticed several unusual details on the night of Howard’s murder. That night, Philip had gone to the Chelsea Piers Sports Complex with Allyson for ice hockey practice. After the session, the two headed to the Pilmar residence, and by that time, Roslyn and her brother Evan had already killed Howard in the office.
Following the tragedy, Philip was raised under the care of his mother, Roslyn, and went to the London School of Economics for higher studies. Working hard with determination to make his dreams of becoming an attorney true, he managed to become a part of a top law firm. Later in life, from what it seems, he felt drawn to a woman named Larissa D. Gabelman, and the two fell in love. As per reports, on May 9, 2015, Philip and Larissa tied the knot in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.
In the late 2010s, when Roslyn and Evan were finally arrested for the 1996 murder of Howard Pilmar, Philip’s entire world turned upside down as he was having a tough time making sense of it all. Being a Brooklyn prosecutor himself, Philip felt helpless as his mother got convicted in front of his eyes. Unable to hold it all together, he left the courtroom almost as soon as Roslyn was found guilty. On the day of her sentencing, Philip Pilmar asked the court to show some kind of leniency toward her mother. He acknowledged the fact that his father’s demise was devastating, but he also claimed that his convicted mom took care of him and provided him with education to help him fulfill his dreams.
While his grandfather, Frank Pilmar, tried to initiate a dialogue with him, Philip did not speak to him at all. Instead, he stood up for his mother and stated, “Having my mom die in jail will not bring back my dad…” Crediting her for the love and support she showered on him over the years, he also said, “She raised me to be kind, to be loving, to value education, value hard work. She was there for me every step of the way when I struggled with the death of my dad.” Talking about his uncle Evan Wald, he added that he “has been a good and kind person to me. He always showed me love.”
Philip Pilmar is a Distinguished Attorney Today
Despite the guilty verdict of the jury for his mother, Roslyn Pilmar, Philip possibly believes that she is innocent and had no part to play in the murder of his entrepreneur father, Howard Pilmar. Having defended her in court, it appears that he is still cut off from the paternal side of his family, not having contact with even his loving grandfather, Frank. After the trial, he seemed to have accepted his mother’s fate and focused on furthering his professional life all the more. He continues residing in New York, where he serves as an Assistant US Attorney. In January 2024, Philip’s exceptional contributions to public service as a lawyer were rewarded by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
At the 70th and 71st Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony, Phil, along with 16 former and current members of the Eastern District of New York, were presented with the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. On the personal front, Philip is reportedly leading a content life with his wife, Larissa. For the uninitiated, Larissa was born and brought up in Irvington in the Empire State and is a New York University graduate with a degree in Psychology. Her further educational qualifications include earning an MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As for her internship and residency, she completed them at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in The Bronx in New York City.
Read More: Ros Pilmar and Evan Wald: Where Are Howard Pilmar’s Killers Now?
