A 43-year-old man who fatally shot his Brownsville neighbor nearly four years ago was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Thursday.
Gregory Spears previously pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter charge for the killing of his 62-year-old neighbor, Angel Medina, at their NYCHA apartment on May 19, 2020.
Medina was shot multiple times in the torso inside his 14th floor apartment of the Langston Hughes Houses on Sutter Avenue near Rockaway Avenue. First responders pronounced him dead on the scene.
According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, Spears knocked on the door of the victim’s apartment at 2:40 p.m. that afternoon, and was greeted by Medina’s wife who recognized him, even though he was wearing a Halloween mask. Spears’ wife was also in the apartment at the time of the incident.
Medina’s wife went to the bedroom and told him that Spears wanted to speak with him. Spears proceeded to go into Medina’s bedroom, took off his mask, and shot him multiple times before fleeing the scene.
Following the fatal shooting, police launched a manhunt but ended up arresting Spears the following day, May 20, when he exited the elevator on the 14th floor and was met by police securing the crime scene.
Spears was sentenced on Feb. 29 by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 17 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. He previously pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on Jan. 29.
“This defendant committed a heinous crime by killing his neighbor. He has now accepted responsibility for this senseless shooting and been sentenced to a lengthy prison term,” Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said following the sentencing.
