In the winter of 2016, a Queens woman's life was tragically cut short in a violent act that stemmed from a tumultuous relationship. Joann Gravette, a 36-year-old female, was found deceased in her Far Rockaway apartment on the morning of January 27, 2016, having been shot multiple times. The grim discovery was made after a neighbor reported hearing a commotion followed by a loud 'boom' from Gravette's residence.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on her ex-fiancé, Tyquan Long.
Evidence, including video surveillance, captured Long entering Gravette's apartment on the morning of the murder and leaving minutes later with what appeared to be a firearm. In the days leading up to her death, Gravette had sought to sever ties with Long and had an active order of protection against him. She had reportedly told him to leave her alone just days before she was killed.
Following the murder, Long's aggression continued as he confronted and shot a 51-year-old female neighbor of Gravette's in the lobby of the building. The neighbor survived the attack. Long then fled the state in an attempt to evade capture. His time as a fugitive was short-lived, however, as authorities tracked him to Sacramento, California, where he was arrested about a month after the murder.
Brought back to New York to face justice, Tyquan Long was charged with a litany of crimes, including second-degree murder for the death of Joann Gravette and attempted murder for the attack on her neighbor. In April 2018, a jury found him guilty on multiple counts. Subsequently, Long, who was 31 at the time of sentencing, was sentenced to 45 years to life in prison, ensuring he would spend the majority of his remaining years behind bars for the senseless killing of his former fiancée.
