In the early hours of February 8, 2017, a meticulously planned and brutal crime was set into motion in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn. The target was 66-year-old Robert D'Onofrio, a civilian employee of the NYPD. A trio of individuals, later identified as Abasie Brabam, Lee Williams, and Tanaja Grant, drove from Brownsville to D'Onofrio's Bay 8th Street home, arriving before he left for work.
They lay in wait, watching the house for hours until both D'Onofrio and his daughter had departed, ensuring the residence was empty.
Once inside, the intruders ransacked the home, stealing electronics, jewelry, and ammunition. Their primary goal, however, was a safe they believed to contain firearms. Knowing they would need D'Onofrio to open it, they decided to wait for his return. Grant, who had a prior relationship with the victim, maintained contact with him throughout the day via text messages, confirming his location and when he would be heading home. When D'Onofrio arrived around 5 p.m., he was ambushed by the trio. They subjected him to hours of torture, repeatedly striking him with blunt objects and whipping him with a belt in an attempt to force him to open the safe. The horrific ordeal ended when D'Onofrio was shot twice, with the bullets piercing his lung and heart.
After the murder, the perpetrators fled the scene in D'Onofrio's Ford Mustang, taking with them the stolen property. They drove the vehicle to Brownsville, where they were captured on surveillance video attempting to conceal and disable it. This footage, along with DNA evidence found in and on the car, would later prove crucial in linking them to the crime. D'Onofrio's daughter made the gruesome discovery of her father's body in the garage of their home. He was rushed to Maimonides Medical Center but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The investigation into the murder of Robert D'Onofrio led to the eventual capture of all those involved. A fourth individual, Derek Simpkins, was arrested shortly after the crime in 2017. Abasie Brabam was apprehended in 2018, followed by Tanaja Grant and Lee Williams in 2019. In 2022, Brabam, Williams, and Grant were convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree burglary. Each was sentenced to 75 years to life in prison. Derek Simpkins pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with five years of post-release supervision.
