On the night of May 27, 2020, a violent altercation in White Plains, New York, resulted in the death of 34-year-old Deron Strange. The incident unfolded in the parking lot of Strange's residence on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. An argument escalated, leading to Strange being chased and shot multiple times by his assailant just before midnight. He was struck twice, in the abdomen and pelvis. First responders treated him at the scene before he was transported to White Plains Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of the following morning.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led authorities to a suspect. On May 29, 2020, with the assistance of the FBI's Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, police arrested 26-year-old Brandon Williams at a hotel in Harrison, New York. At the time of his arrest, Williams, who was on probation for a 2018 weapon possession conviction, initially attempted to deceive the authorities by providing a false name and claiming to be a repairman. He later admitted to knowing he was a suspect in the shooting.
Brandon Williams was indicted on charges of second-degree murder and other felonies related to the shooting. The prosecution's case was significantly strengthened by the testimony of Deron Strange's wife, Ebony Strange, who witnessed the shooting and identified Williams as the perpetrator. She testified that Williams, whom she had known for years, had been arguing with her husband on the night of the murder. Further evidence presented by the prosecution included GPS data from Williams' cellphone that placed him in the vicinity of the crime scene at the time of the shooting.
Following a five-week trial, a jury found Brandon Williams guilty of second-degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree on October 14, 2022. On December 5, 2022, Williams was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison for the murder of Deron Strange.
