Bank Robber Who Held Gun to Paula Deen's Head During Heist Found Dead in NYC Apartment
The robbery Paula Deen was involved in took place in 1987.
March 2 2026, Published 1:23 p.m. ET
The bank robber who held a gun to Paula Deen's head during a heist was found dead in his New York City apartment, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Eugene Thomas King Jr., the man responsible for the robbery, was discovered in his apartment in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Details on Eugene Thomas King Jr.
A man who robbed a bank Paula Deen worked at was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment.
When police and EMS arrived on the scene, they found King Jr. unconscious and pronounced him dead. According to the medical examiner, he died of natural causes.
In a statement to TMZ, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner revealed his death was caused by hypertensive and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
The robbery took place in 1987, when a not-yet-famous Deen, 79, was working as a bank teller. In a statement to police following the heist, Deen claimed King Jr. "never took the gun out of my face."
He ended up getting convicted and serving time, telling police he "never intended to hurt anyone" and asking them to tell Deen he was sorry.
Paula Deen's N-Word Scandal
Paula Deen allegedly said 'yes of course' when asked if she had used racial slurs including the N-word.
The robbery involving Deen was referenced in a 2013 lawsuit when the celebrity chef was accused of engaging in sexual and racial harassment.
During a deposition, Deen was asked if she had ever used any racist language, including the N-word.
"Yes, of course," Deen responded. "It was probably when a black man burst into the bank that I was working at and put a gun to my head."
Deen previously admitted she had used the N-word, which led to the demise of her career and put attention on King Jr.
"I really feel for her," he told Inside Edition in 2013. "She’s being persecuted because of that one little mistake in her judgment. She was acting out of anger."
Paula Deen Addresses Accusations of Racism
Paula Deen claimed her admission to using the N-word was taken out of context.
Deen addressed the racism scandal last year in an interview, noting the notion she was a racist "ate at my gut every day."
She also claimed the admission of her using the word was taken out of context.
"I would have been fine had the whole story been told – had the real story been told," she said. "They took her [the employee who sued] word and ran with it, and no one ever investigated any further."
She also addressed it in the documentary Canceled: The Paula Deen Story.
"When they lay me down, I do not want on my tombstone, 'Here lies the body of a racist,'" she confessed.
What Did Paula Deen Lose?
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Paula Deen lost multiple lucrative endorsements, a book deal, and her TV show after her N-word scandal.
After the N-word scandal, Deen lost multiple lucrative endorsements, a book deal, and her TV show.
Her restaurant, The Lady & Sons, which had been around for decades, also shuttered its doors.
She announced the closure of this and another nearby spot, The Chicken Box, last year.
"Hey, y’all, my sons and I made the heartfelt decision that Thursday, July 31st, was the last day of service for The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box," she stated. "Thank you for all the great memories and for your loyalty over the past 36 years. We have endless love and gratitude for every customer who has walked through our doors.
"We are equally grateful to our incredible staff, past and present, whose hard work, care, and hospitality made The Lady & Sons what it was."
"Savannah will always be our home, and we'll always be here to support our wonderful community," she added. "We will now focus our attention on the four Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen locations across the country, in Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, and Branson."
