A Riverhead man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for manslaughter and weapon charges in the fatal shooting of a Riverhead man during a robbery in Coram in December 2021, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
Marcus Reid, 24, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison and five years of post release supervision for the fatal shooting of Branzel Bonner, 25 of Riverhead, while attempting to rob him, the DA said in a press release today. Reid entered guilty pleas last month to charges of first degree manslaughter and second degree criminal possession of a weapon.
“Today’s sentence brings justice to Mr. Bonner’s family and also removes this dangerous defendant from our streets in Suffolk County,” Tierney said in a statement. “Anyone threatening the safety of our neighborhoods, particularly with gun violence, will be held accountable.”
According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, Tierney said, on the morning of Dec. 2, 2021, Reid fired multiple rounds from a semi-automatic .40 caliber handgun at the ground below Bonner’s feet, demanding that he hand over his fanny pack. When Bonner refused, Reid repeatedly shot Bonner in the torso, Tierney said. Reid removed the contents of Bonner’s fanny pack and fled the scene. Bonner was pronounced dead at Stony Brook University Hospital within an hour of the shooting, according to the district attorney.
In his haste to flee the wooded area where the shooting took place, Reid dropped his own debit card at the scene, which was recovered by law enforcement and was also captured on surveillance video, Tierney said in a press release.
Reid was sentenced by Acting Supreme Court Justice Stephen Braslow.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
