Syracuse, NY -- An Onondaga County jury Thursday found a Syracuse man guilty of the murder of Cole Richardson in a drive-by shooting two years ago. The jury deliberated six and a half hours before finding Frankie Hester, 28, of DeWitt Street, guilty of second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Hester was accused of shooting Richardson,...
Barbara Porter of Syracuse holds a picture of her son, Cole Richardson, during a vigil in October 2008. Cole Richardson died after being shot in a drive-by shooting at 615 Atlantic Ave. Syracuse, NY -- An Onondaga County jury Thursday found a Syracuse man guilty of the murder of Cole Richardson in a drive-by shooting two years ago.
The jury deliberated six and a half hours before finding Frankie Hester, 28, of DeWitt Street, guilty of second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Hester was accused of shooting Richardson, 35, near his home on Atlantic Avenue on Oct. 2, 2008. Richardson died at Upstate University Hospital 13 days later.
Before he died, Richardson told police he had seen a dark, older model Lincoln driving down the street, heard three gunshots and realized he had been hit.
A grand jury indicted Hester for the crime 14 months later.
Hester faces possibles sentence of 15 years to life or up to 25 years to life, with the ability to apply for parole, said Assistant District Attorney Robert Duncanson.
The jury also found co-defendant Jamar Martin, 35, of 401 Springfield Road, Apt. 2-C, DeWitt, guilty of hindering prosecution for helping Hester commit the crime by driving him, Duncanson said.
Martin could face an indeterminate sentence of 1 1/3 to four years in prison, he said.
County Judge Anthony F. Aloi is scheduled to sentence both men on Oct. 18.