On a summer evening in Queens, New York, what began as a joyous celebration ended in a tragic loss of life. Robert Dejesus, a 32-year-old male, was fatally shot on June 28, 2015, shortly after leaving a baby shower in the Rochdale Village neighborhood. The incident occurred around 10 p.m. on 166th Place, where Dejesus was shot in the head and upper body.
He was rushed to Jamaica Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a history of conflict between Dejesus and a former friend, Brian White. The motive for the killing was believed to be an act of revenge stemming from a dispute two years prior, in which Dejesus had stabbed White in the leg. Witnesses reported that an argument between the two men escalated on the night of the baby shower, leading to White shooting Dejesus multiple times as he attempted to flee.
Following the shooting, Brian White fled the state and relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina. However, investigators were able to track him down, and he was apprehended in October 2015. White was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. His first trial in December 2018 resulted in a hung jury. A second trial was held, and in June 2019, Brian White was convicted of the murder of Robert Dejesus. He faced a sentence of up to 25 years to life in prison for the crime.
