(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the sentencing of Maleek Ward for shooting and killing a family friend at a convenience store in Wyandanch in April 2021.
“This cold-blooded shooting was done while the defendant was out on bail following a weapons and narcotics arrest,” said Tierney. “This is just another example of the failures of our bail reform laws. A man’s life was taken and had this defendant not been out on bail, perhaps the victim would still be alive today.”
Ward, 24, was out on bail pending a felony narcotics and weapons possession indictment from an October 2020 arrest when he shot and killed the victim.
The evidence at trial established that on April 10, 2021, at approximately 12:23 a.m. Ward, shot and killed Darnell Snell, of Wyandanch, who was a family friend, while Snell was purchasing orange juice while inside the Wyandanch Convenience Store which was located on Merritt Avenue in Wyandanch.
The fatal shooting was captured on store video surveillance. The jury trial commenced March 1, 2022 and Ward was found guilty on March 15, 2022.
Ward pleaded guilty on Oct. 2021 to the narcotics and weapons charges and was sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison plus 1 ½ years of post-release supervision for the felony narcotics and weapons indictment.
Ward was sentenced today by Honorable Timothy J. Mazzei to 25 years to life in prison for Murder in the Second Degree and an additional consecutive sentence of 5 years in prison for Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. He was represented by Katherine Fernandez, Esq.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Elena L. Tomaro of the Homicide Bureau and William Richards of the Major Crime Bureau.