In the Hamilton Hill neighborhood of Schenectady, New York, on the evening of May 23, 2020, Duane Todman, a talented 27-year-old male artist, was sitting on the steps of a church. An argument broke out nearby between a man and a woman. Todman intervened in the dispute, a decision that tragically cost him his life. The man, angered by Todman's interjection, pulled out a firearm and shot him in the neck at point-blank range.
Emergency services arrived at the scene, and Todman was rushed to a local hospital, but his injury was too severe, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the senseless act of violence quickly led to a suspect. In his haste to flee the scene, the shooter had inadvertently left behind his cellphone, driver's license, and a debit card. This crucial evidence identified the perpetrator as Marlone Oindo. It was determined that Todman and Oindo were strangers, and the fatal shooting was a result of a fleeting moment of rage. Oindo was a reputed member of the Bloods street gang. Within a couple of weeks, on June 5, 2020, detectives from the Schenectady Police Department, with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service, located and arrested Oindo.
Marlone Oindo was charged with second-degree murder, criminal use of a firearm in the first degree, and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. He was arraigned and remanded to the Schenectady County Jail. As the case proceeded through the legal system, Oindo eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. In early 2022, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the killing of Duane Todman. Prosecutors noted that while they had a strong case, potential witness reluctance to testify due to fear of retaliation played a role in the decision to offer a plea deal. Oindo expressed remorse for his actions and stated his intention to apologize to Todman's family.
