Cops: Riverhead pair charged in fatal shooting

Two Riverhead people have been charged for the murder of a Shirley man in Coram earlier this month, according to Suffolk County police.

Homicide detectives arrested Marcus Reid, 23, on Dec. 13 and Monique Brown, 28, on Tuesday and they have both been charged with second-degree murder, police said.

The killing occurred on Dec. 2. The victim, Branzel Bonner Jr., 25, was found shot at 9:53 a.m. in the woods behind 50 A Middle Country Road. He was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Mr. Reid pleaded not guilty and was remanded without bail on Dec. 23, according to court records. He is due back in court Feb. 16. He’s also facing a felony charge of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He is being represented by attorney Gregory Girzopoulos of Mineola.

Ms. Brown was arraigned Tuesday on pleaded not guilty and was held on $150,000 bond or $50,000 cash. She’s also facing a felony charge of first-degree robbery. She’s being represented by attorney George Hodgkinson Duncan of Islip Terrace. She’s due back in court Jan. 21.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the shooting to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

Mr. Reid had been a standout in football and track and field for Riverhead High School and was a senior in 2015-16. He was part of a school-record setting 4×100 relay team in 2015 as a member of the spring track team.

In 2016, while 18, he was arrested for first-degree robbery along with a 15-year-old juvenile.