In the early hours of a February morning, a Valentine's party in Newburgh, New York, turned into a scene of violence that would claim the life of Gevontay Owens-Grant. The 24-year-old man was one of four people who sustained gunshot wounds during the event on February 12, 2017. The gathering was being held in the basement of a building on South William Street. Owens-Grant was rushed to St.
Luke's Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to explore connections to gang activity in the city. A reward of up to $2,500 was offered by New York Crime Stoppers for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the homicide. This appeal for public assistance was part of a broader effort to quell the violence that had plagued the community.
In a significant development, a federal indictment in February 2018 charged ten alleged members of the 'Southside' street gang with a range of crimes, including racketeering and murder. Among those charged were William Fennell and Troy Young, who were specifically accused of the murder of Gevontay Owens-Grant. According to the indictment, Owens-Grant was considered a rival from another part of Newburgh, and his death was the result of an altercation that erupted at the Valentine's Day party. The charges against Fennell and Young were part of a larger case against the Southside gang, which was alleged to have engaged in narcotics trafficking, robbery, and other acts of violence to protect its territory and fund its criminal enterprise.
