Ryan Hamilton pleads guilty in fatal shooting of Trendabi Reid, Nassau DA says

A Hempstead man pleaded guilty on Thursday to fatally shooting a man during an argument over a debt, according to the Nassau County district attorney.

Ryan Hamilton, 24, admitted shooting Trendabi Reid, 25, of Uniondale, in the face on May 7, 2021, around 5:30 p.m. in the backyard of a home on James LL Burrell Avenue in Hempstead, prosecutors said.

He faces 19 years to life behind bars on second-degree murder and gun charges. His sentencing is scheduled for March 18.

On the day of the shooting, Reid arrived at the home during a small gathering and started arguing with another man over a debt, according to Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly. The two men started shoving each other and Hamilton, who was not involved in the fight, intervened by firing a single round from a 9 mm handgun at Reid, killing him, prosecutors said.

Hamilton fled, dumping the gun, which was found in a vacant lot two blocks away from the home later that night.

Another man, Shane Locke, was also arrested and remains charged with gun possession. 

Nassau County police tracked down Hamilton in Connecticut and confessed to investigators on the way back to New York, court records said.

“He was beating up Shane,” Hamilton said, according to the records. He told police he had switched guns with Locke, who owned the 9 mm gun. Hamilton said he owned the .380 caliber handgun that was allegedly found on Locke.

Locke's lawyer, Charles Miller, did not respond to a request for comment.

Hamilton's lawyer also did not respond to multiple requests for comment.