Lonnie Keys, a 28-year-old Black male, tragically lost his life on the night of March 13, 2022, in Rochester, New York. That evening, officers from the Rochester Police Department were dispatched to State Street after receiving reports of multiple gunshots. Upon their arrival at the scene, they discovered Mr. Keys and another man, Charles Robinson, both of whom had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The incident was part of a violent shooting that unfolded outside a hookah lounge, leaving two dead and shaking the local community.
A thorough investigation into the double homicide was launched by the Rochester Police Department. Their efforts led to the identification and subsequent arrest of two suspects: 25-year-old Marique Simkin and 33-year-old Henry Phelps III. The investigation determined that Simkin was responsible for the shooting death of Lonnie Keys, while Phelps was accused of killing Charles Robinson. Simkin was already in custody on unrelated weapons charges at the time of his arrest for the murder. Both men were charged with second-degree murder and multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
The legal proceedings that followed brought the case to a conclusion. In November 2023, a jury found both Marique Simkin and Henry Phelps III guilty of second-degree murder and weapons charges. In January 2024, the sentences were handed down by a New York State Supreme Court Justice. Marique Simkin received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for the murder of Lonnie Keys. His co-defendant, Henry Phelps III, was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for the murder of Charles Robinson. The successful prosecution and life sentences for both men brought a measure of closure to the families of the victims.
