NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Two men and a woman were each sentenced to 75 years-to-life in prison for robbing, torturing and murdering a 66-year-old NYPD civilian employee in his Brooklyn home, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Thursday.
Tanaja Grant, 32, Lee Williams, 30, and Abasie Brabam, 31, were each convicted of murder, robbery and burglary in a Brooklyn Supreme Court in April.
On Feb. 8, 2017, the trio staked out Robert D’Onofrio’s house in Brownsville, waited for him and his daughter to leave for work and broke in.
While Grant, who knew D’Onofrio, texted him to confirm his location, they stole jewelry, electronics and more. When she was able to confirm he was on his way home, they hid and ambushed him.
The defendants tortured him in an attempt to force him to open a gun safe.
They repeatedly struck his head with blunt objects, whipped him with a belt and dragged him around the floor before fatally shooting him twice in the chest.
His daughter found his body in the garage after work.
“The depravity of this horrific murder can’t be overstated and the lengthy prison terms to which these defendants were sentenced today holds them accountable for torturing and killing an innocent man during a carefully-planned robbery,” said Gonzalez. “While no sentence can return Robert D’Onofrio to his loved ones, I hope this sentence gives some solace to his family and friends.”
Abasie was arrested in 2018, and Grant and Williams were arrested a year later.
The DNA of all three defendants was found in D’Onofrio’s Ford Mustang, which they fled in.
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