21 Year Old Sentenced to Life for Providence Triple Homicide

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that on Friday, Superior Court Justice Melanie Wilk Thunberg sentenced Donovann Hall (age 21) to three life sentences, to run concurrent, for his role in the July 2012 murder of Shameeka Barros, Damien Colon, and Michael Martin.

Donovann Hall pled guilty on March 1, 2013. Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on the evening of July 30, 2012, Timothy DeBritto, Russell Burrell, Quandell Husband, and Donovann Hall were at the apartment of Sylvia Morehead, the mother of four of DeBritto’s children.  There, they discussed that Michael Martin would be an easy target for a robbery, which the group referred to as a “lick.” The four discussed the fact that Mr. Martin would be likely to have marijuana and money at his apartment. 
 
At the apartment was a black handgun a 9 millimeter Glock that had a magazine that held 17 rounds.  The Glock was one that individuals in the group had taken turns possessing and controlling in the past.  In fact, DeBritto had used the same weapon less than two months earlier when he shot and injured a romantic rival.
 
At approximately 10:00 p.m. on July 30, 2012, Russell Burrell, armed with the Glock fully loaded, Quandell Husband and Donovann Hall walked to the apartment of Michael Martin. 
 
When Mr. Martin came to the door, Burrell pointed the gun as all three rushed into the living room, barking commands to Mr. Martin and Damien Colon, who they were not expecting to be present.  Mr. Martin and Mr. Colon were herded towards the kitchen in the back of the apartment where Burrell fired the 9mm repeatedly in their direction, killing them both. 
 
As this was happening, Shameeka Barros awoke from a nap on a couch in the living room. Upon realizing Ms. Barrows was in the apartment, Burrell turned the gun on her, emptying the magazine clip of its bullets, killing Ms. Barrows.
Quandell Husband was found guilty by a jury on July 30, 2014 and was sentenced to consecutive life sentences plus 10 years. Russell Burrell pled guilty in November 2013 and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences plus ten years.  Timothy DeBritto pled guilty in March 2014 and was sentenced to 40 years to serve plus an additional 20 years suspended, non –parolable.
“This sentencing – the last for all the defendants charged in this case - closes a painful chapter for the family and friends of Shameeka Barros, Damien Colon, and Michael Martin.  Each step of this process has been agonizing for the families, having to listen to the account of that fateful and deadly summer night.  Yet, through all of this, their strong sense of family and faith has been a source of comfort and inspiration to the prosecutors fighting for justice for their lost loved ones.” 
 
Assistant Attorneys General Randall White and James Baum prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General. The investigation was led by Providence Police Detective Rob Washburn, along with Detectives Fabio Zuena, Frank Vilella, Theodore Michaels, and Captain Michael Correia.

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