On a December morning in 2021, the life of 25-year-old Branzel Bonner Jr. was tragically cut short in a wooded area in Coram, New York. On December 2nd, Suffolk County police responded to a 911 call and discovered Bonner with gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting death of the Shirley man led to the arrests of two individuals from Riverhead.
Marcus Reid, 23, was taken into custody on December 13, 2021, and Monique Brown, 28, was arrested on December 28 of the same year. Both were charged with second-degree murder and arraigned at the First District Court in Central Islip.
Further details of the incident emerged, revealing a robbery motive. Prosecutors stated that Reid shot Bonner after demanding he hand over his fanny pack. When Bonner refused, Reid fired multiple shots into his torso. After the shooting, Reid attempted to take the fanny pack from Bonner's body and, failing that, emptied its contents before fleeing the scene. A crucial piece of evidence, Reid's debit card, was discovered at the crime scene, and he was also captured on surveillance footage.
In February 2024, Marcus Reid pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The following month, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of post-release supervision. Monique Brown was also charged with first-degree robbery. Her attorney maintained her innocence and stated they were looking forward to an expedited trial.
