DNA From Cigarette Linked Him To Murder
A 40-year-old Jamaica man has been found guilty of fatally shooting a Queens Village man inside his residence during a robbery attempt in August 2003.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown identified the defendant as Troy Lockley, 40, of 191st Street in Jamaica, who was convicted last Thursday, Mar. 20 of second-degree murder, first-degree burglary, firstdegree attempted robbery and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial before Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise, who set sentencing for Apr. 30. The defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
Brown said, “[Lockley] thought he could get away with murder but his own DNA proved his undoing. He has now been held accountable for the cold-blooded shooting of a man inside his own home. His actions warrant a lengthy prison sentence to punish him and protect society.”
According to trial testimony, the defendant and an acquaintance, Andy Dabydeen, approached the residence of Fabian Ceballos, 28, of Moline Street, and asked his female friend who was standing outside for directions before displaying a gun. Lockley then ran to the doorway where Ceballos was standing and, grabbing him at gunpoint, demanded money.
Lockley then shot Ceballos once in the chest, fatally wounding him. Lockley and Dabydeen then entered the victim’s apartment to search for money before fleeing.
Lockley was apprehended in Mar. 2005 when his DNA profile was matched to DNA found on a cigarette he smoked on the night of the murder which was recovered from under the victim’s couch.
Dabydeen, 23, of 211th Street, was arrested in Oct. 2003 and pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in Sept. 2005 and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Lockley was previously convicted in connection with this case in 2008, however, the conviction was overturned on appeal and a new trial was ordered.
Assistant District Attorney Shawn Clark, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Trial Bureau, prosecuted the case under the supervision of Brad A. Leventhal, Bureau Chief, and Jack Warsawsky, Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Charles A. Testagrossa and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.
