A St. Albans man admitted to shooting a 21-year-old camp counselor to death in 2017, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Jonel Lattore, 38, of 199th Street, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree Monday, Nov. 15, before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder for gunning down Teriana Holcombe of Cambria Heights as she walked home from a nearby store.
Katz said that on the evening of Aug. 15, 2017, Holcombe was heading home from a store with several other people. One of them, a friend of the young woman, had been involved in a physical confrontation with Lattore earlier that evening.
As Holcombe walked away from a deli at the corner of 198th Street Murdock Avenue, a man from another group yelled out at her group, and when the two groups began arguing, Lattore pulled out a handgun and fired several shots. One bullet struck Holcombe in the head.
Officers from the 113th Precinct and EMS units responded to the incident. Holcombe was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Following an investigation, detectives picked up Lattore 10 days after the fatal shooting.
“A young woman was violently and suddenly killed leaving her family stunned and grieving,” Katz said. “This was a senseless shooting. The defendant has now admitted his guilt and will be punished for his criminal action.”
Justice Holder set Lattore’s sentencing for Dec. 6 and he indicated he will sentence Lattore to 17 years in prison, to be followed by five years’ post-release supervision.
