On the evening of November 18, 2015, Gerber Hernandez, a 33-year-old male construction worker, was walking home from his job in Roosevelt, NY. His path took him along Babylon Turnpike, a familiar route that on this day would become the scene of a fatal encounter. As he made his way, two individuals on bicycles, later identified as Corey Williams and Malique Shelton, approached him with the intent to rob him of his cash.
During the course of the attempted robbery, the situation escalated
tragically, and Hernandez was shot twice. One of the bullets proved to be fatal, piercing his aorta. A Good Samaritan discovered the wounded Hernandez and stayed with him until emergency services arrived. He was rushed to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, but despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 11:50 p.m. The initial alert to law enforcement came from a ShotSpotter notification at 6:48 p.m. on Ellison Avenue.
The investigation into the murder of Gerber Hernandez led Nassau County police to Corey Williams and Malique Shelton. It was discovered that this violent act was part of a larger crime spree perpetrated by the duo in the Roosevelt area, which included multiple robberies and another homicide. On June 22, 2016, Williams and Shelton, along with an accomplice, were involved in the robbery and murder of 37-year-old Royston Hall.
Ultimately, both men were apprehended and faced justice for their crimes. On November 5, 2018, a jury convicted Corey Williams on a multitude of charges, including two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of both Gerber Hernandez and Royston Hall. His accomplice, Malique Shelton, chose to plead guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. For his role in the brutal crime spree, Corey Williams was sentenced to a term of 100 years to life in prison. Malique Shelton received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for his involvement.
