Timothy DeBritto Pleads Guilty to Role in 2012 Triple Homicide in Providence

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced today that Timothy DeBritto, 1/31/86: pled guilty today before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause for his role in the July 30, 2012 murder of Shameeka Barrows, Damien Colon and Michael Martin. Under the plea agreement, DeBritto was sentenced to a total of 40 years to serve plus an additional 20 years suspended, non-parolable, on the firearm charges and 10 years to serve, concurrently, on the charge of conspiracy to commit robbery.

It was read into the record that DeBritto may be subject to prosecution of perjury, and be in violation of his sentence, if he fails to tell the truth about any material issue should be he called to testify at any future court proceedings surrounding the case.

"While Timothy DeBritto may not have pointed and shot the 9 millimeter Glock at Shameeka Barrows, Damien Colon, and Michael Martin, he is just as responsible for their deaths," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "Providing a gun to someone who you knowingly intends to commit a crime makes you as culpable as if you fired the weapon yourself."

Kilmartin went on to express his continued sympathy for the families of the victims, "The families of Shameeka Barrows, Damien Colon and Michael Martin have continued to show amazing strength and grace under these most trying and tragic circumstances."

At the court proceeding, the state read into the record that on evening of July 30, 2013, Timothy DeBritto, Russell Burrell, Quandell Husband, and Donovan 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 Burell, 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 Barrows 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.

If the case proceeded to trial, the State was also prepared to call a witness who would have stated that upon hearing gunshots, he looked in the direction of the front door of 151 General Street and saw both Burrell and Husband run from the apartment.

In addition, the state would have called a firearms and tool mark examiner from the University of Rhode Island Crime Laboratory who examined the casings from Mr. Martin's apartment who would have testified that those casings were fired from the same gun as several other castings the Providence Police recovered on the street in the vicinity of the May 20, 2012 shooting of Gary Ellerbee by Timothy DeBritto.

Two other individuals – Russell Burrell and Donovann Hall – have pled guilty for their roles in the murders and are awaiting sentencing. A fourth individual, Quandell Husband, is awaiting trial.

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.