In the midday chill of November 23, 2022, the day before Thanksgiving, 26-year-old Matteo Henderson was walking on a street in his hometown of Schenectady, New York. It was around 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of Odell Street and Brandywine Avenue when the sound of gunfire shattered the ordinary afternoon. When police arrived, they found Matteo Henderson in the street, the victim of a fatal shooting.
This violent act was not a random occurrence but the culmination of a simmering dispute.
Months of investigation by Schenectady and Colonie police, along with federal marshals, led to the arrest of 37-year-old David Ayala in January 2023 at a hotel in Albany County. The motive, as outlined by prosecutors, was one of retaliation. Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a robbery that occurred in the summer of 2022 at a location known for drug activity. Ayala allegedly felt that Henderson was responsible and sought revenge.
David Ayala was indicted by a grand jury and faced charges of second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and tampering with physical evidence. The tampering charges were related to accusations that he attempted to alter the license plate of the getaway car and hid the vehicle. Following his arrest, Ayala was held at the county jail without bail.
The trial against David Ayala took place over three weeks, with the prosecution presenting a case built on the theory of 'retaliation, revenge and running.' After approximately four and a half hours of deliberation, a Schenectady County jury reached a verdict in January 2025. They acquitted Ayala of the top charge of second-degree murder but found him guilty of the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. He was also convicted on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of tampering with physical evidence. Due to his prior felony convictions, the prosecutor indicated that Ayala could face a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
