Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - 51-year-old Deandre Wilson was convicted in front of a grand jury on Thursday for triple homicide and numerous other crimes, which was part of a drug robbery in 2019.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler, on Sept. 25, 2019, "The defendant, DeAndre Wilson, pistol whipped and killed Dhamyl Roman-Audiffred. He then proceeded to shoot and kill Miguel Anthony Valentin Colon and Nicole Marie Merced-Plaud who were parked in a van in the driveway of the house (on Roebling Ave.) with their three-year-old son."
All of this was part of a drug deal arranged on the 25th with the now deceased, arranged by Wilson and his other co-defendants James Cobb and James Reed, who were looking to purchase with the intent to distribute cocaine and several other controlled substances. 11 months prior to the murders, Wilson was released after serving a lengthy prison term for Murder in the Second Degree.
After the heinous acts, Wilson's accomplices, Cobb and Reed took the body of Roman-Audiffred to the basement, where Cobb dismembered it, put it in the trunk of his car and set it on fire in the backyard of a residence of Box Avenue, joined later by Wilson who drove the van to a building behind Scajaquada Street.
The following day, Wilson's accomplices took the minivan, with the dead bodies and the son still inside to a residential area on Tonawanda Street and burned the vehicle and the bodies and then dropped the child off on a stranger's porch on Potomac Ave.
"There was a lot of evidence in this case that was presented as a brief summary, to provide more detail about the investigation," said Adler, who assisted in the six-week trial.
Deandre Wilson's 15 counts include the following:
- Narcotics conspiracy
- Hobbs Act robbery
- Murder while engaged in a narcotics conspiracy
- Discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking crimes
- Two counts of discharge of a firearm causing death in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking crimes
- Conspiracy to obstruct justice
- Two counts of obstruction of justice
- Conspiracy to use fire to commit a felony
- Two counts of use of fire to commit a felony
- Conspiracy to damage and destroy a vehicle used in interstate commerce by fire
- Damaging and destroying a vehicle used in interstate commerce by fire
- Possession with intent to distribute marijuana
"The countless investigative hours to bring justice to the families of the victims and the survivors of these crimes should not be lost on any of us. Law enforcement efforts, in this case, we're beyond tremendous nd the efforts of the entire prosecution team for my office cannot be overstated," said U.S. Attorney Trini Ross.
"I've only been in Buffalo three weeks and I can tell honestly tell you I've never seen the type of law enforcement cooperation anywhere else in the country better than what I've seen right here in this short amount of time," said Michael Stansbury, Special-Agent-in Charge for the FBI. "Because of that, that brought this individual to justice."
Wilson, Cobb and Reed will all face maximum life in prison when sentenced, all three have been convicted.
"Hopefully, this young boy will get all of the help and the services that he needs and I can only say that there's a special place in hell for somebody like this defendant today, and he should rot where he belongs," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 23, 2023 at 2 p.m. ET before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wolford, who presided over the trial.