Nassau jury convicts Roosevelt teen of murders in two robberies

A Nassau jury convicted a Roosevelt teenager Monday of killing two men during robberies in the hamlet in 2015 and 2016.

Corey Williams, 19, who was convicted of four separate crimes, including the murders of Gerber Hernandez, 33, and Royston Hall, 37, faces up to 100 years to life in prison, Nassau prosecutors said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15.

Jurors, who began deliberating Friday afternoon, took about a day to convict Williams of all 17 counts involving the four crimes, including robbery, attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

“Today’s conviction ensures that this violent predator, whose greed led to the heartless murder of two young men during a brutal robbery spree, will spend the rest of his life behind bars,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said in a statement.

The verdict followed a monthlong trial that began Oct. 9 before acting state Supreme Court Justice Meryl Berkowitz in Mineola.

Williams did not react when the jury foreperson announced the verdict after lunch, said his attorney, Jeffrey Groder of Mineola. Groder said his client will appeal.

In an interview, Groder said he had urged jurors not to believe the confession that Nassau police said Williams gave after his arrest. Groder contended that statement contained inconsistencies, as well as information that police fed to Williams, who then repeated them on camera.

“He was questioned for about an hour before going on camera,” Groder said. “There was no recording memorializing that interview.”

But the jury rejected Williams’ defense.

According to prosecutors, the first crime occurred on Nov. 18, 2015, when Hernandez, a construction worker, was walking home on Babylon Turnpike in Roosevelt. Williams and co-defendant Malique Shelton attempted to rob him of cash, then shot him twice when he resisted, prosecutors said.

The second crime occurred on June 22, 2016, when Williams, Shelton and a third accomplice robbed Hall of marijuana inside a Roosevelt home, then shot him and killed him, prosecutors said.

The third crime happened on July 8, 2016, when Williams and an unnamed accomplice called a taxi to Willet Place in Roosevelt, and robbed the driver at gunpoint when he came to pick them up. Prosecutors said they stole about $200 in cash.

Then, on July 18, 2016, Williams called a taxi to West Raymond Avenue in Roosevelt and shot the driver in the upper back when he showed up, prosecutors said. Williams stole $120 in cash and left the driver seriously injured, prosecutors said. He was arrested after that shooting.

Police found his fingerprint on the taxis and the driver identified him as the shooter, according to Groder. While under arrest, Williams implicated himself in the other three crimes.

Shelton, who pleaded guilty in connection with the Hernandez and Hall killings, is expected to be sentenced to 25 years to life on Dec. 10.