In the early morning hours of June 25, 2017, the tranquility of a family-owned blueberry farm in Winslow Township, New Jersey, was shattered by violence. Inside her home, 45-year-old Deanna Marie Scordo, a female, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police responded to a report of a home invasion and discovered her in her bedroom. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Scordo's death led authorities to two suspects: Tyler Dralle, a 20-year-old former high school football standout from Vineland, and his accomplice, 17-year-old Kwamere Benjamin from New Castle, Delaware. Investigators learned that Dralle had been driving his girlfriend to her job at the Scordo's blueberry farm and had hatched a plan to burglarize the residence. In the pre-dawn darkness, Dralle and Benjamin broke into the house. During the commission of the burglary, Deanna Scordo was shot three times.
The pair fled the scene with a small amount of cash in rolled coins and other valuables.
A crucial piece of evidence that led to the identification of the suspects was surveillance footage from a local supermarket. The video captured Dralle using a Coinstar machine to cash in a large number of coins just hours after the murder. Further investigation, including the recovery of deleted text messages discussing robberies and firearms, solidified the case against Dralle and Benjamin.
Both Tyler Dralle and Kwamere Benjamin were arrested and charged with felony murder, armed robbery, and other offenses. Benjamin was charged as an adult. In January 2020, following a trial, a jury found both men guilty on all counts. Their convictions brought a measure of justice to the family of Deanna Scordo, who was remembered as a loving daughter, sister, and aunt, and the respected administrator of a rehabilitation company.
