Boerum Hill man convicted of killing 16-year-old witness

April 11, 2013 Kings County District Attorney's Office

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Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes Wednesday announced the conviction Wednesday of a second man, Ronell Bonds, for Murder in the First Degree for killing 16-year-old Al-Taya Conyers in Boerum Hill in May 2010.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Guy Mangano presided over the jury trial.

Bonds was also convicted of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Tampering with a Witness in the First Degree and Intimidating a Victim or Witness in the First Degree. He faces life in prison without parole when he is sentenced on June 5, 2013.

A separate jury convicted Kendale Robinson on April 8 with Murder in the First Degree and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

Tywan Stith pleaded guilty in May 2012 to Attempting to Intimidate a Witness or Victim in the First Degree, and Thomas Johnson agreed to testify at trial in exchange for a Misdemeanor conviction.

The four defendants knew the victim. On May 25, 2010, Conyers was allegedly assaulted by Devante Grant. Grant was a close friend of Bonds, Robinson Stith and Johnson. Conyers filed charges against Grant, and Grant was arrested and charged with Assault in the Second Degree.

On May 26, 2010 at approximately 2 p.m., Robinson approached the victim’s mother and brother outside 130 3rd Ave. and demanded Conyers drop the charges against Grant.

At 4 p.m., Stith and Johnson directly approached the victim and repeated their demand that she drop the charges. Johnson testified at trial that the all four defendants then got together, and Bonds said they would have to “take care of Al-Taya Conyers, her boyfriend or members of her family” because Grant was “facing a lot of time for his case.”

On May 26, 2010 at 11:45 p.m., Robinson shot Conyers in the torso at the corner of Bond Street and Warren Street. The victim tried to run away and the defendant shot her again until she fell in front of 450 Warren St. Robinson then stood over the victim and fired three additional shots into her head, killing her.