On Thursday, January 30, 2025, a Schenectady County Jury convicted David Ayala [DOB 08/17/1985], also known as “Blokk”, a resident of Schenectady, New York, of five felonies related to the shooting death of Matteo Henderson [DOB 03/09/1996], on Odell Street in the City of Schenectady, on November 23, 2022. Mr. Ayala was convicted of Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class B violent felony, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, class C violent felonies, and two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence. The Manslaughter in the First Degree was a lesser included offense of Murder in the Second-Degree, a charge which Mr. Ayala was acquitted of at trial.
The trial began with jury selection on January 13, 2025. The jury heard from fifty [50] separate witnesses over the course of the three [3] week trial. The jury reached the above verdict on January 30, 2025, after deliberating for approximately four and a half [4.5] hours.
The jury found Mr. Ayala guilty of shooting and killing Matteo Henderson, on Odell Street at approximately 12:30 p.m., on November 23, 2023, using an illegally possessed firearm. The gun was never recovered, but based on other evidence in the case was most likely a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The jury further found Mr. Ayala guilty of illegally possessing that gun outside of his home or place of business and intending to use it unlawfully against another. Further, the jury found Mr. Ayala guilty of tampering with the license plate of the getaway vehicle to obscure the true plate number and of hiding the getaway vehicle to prevent the police from finding it.
The evidence presented at trial showed that this homicide was in retaliation for a prior physical altercation between the victim, Matteo Henderson and Mr. Ayala that also occurred on Odell Street during the summer of 2022. Several witnesses at trial testified that they heard Mr. Ayala say he would harm or kill Henderson and other witnesses at trial saw him do it. In addition, the vehicle Mr. Ayala used to flee the scene which was registered to his longtime girlfriend, was captured on video recorded by the DA’s Office County Camera System. Mr. Ayala hid the car in a friend’s garage on Furman Street. In addition, Mr. Ayala’s guilt was further corroborated by cell phone extractions and cell tower mapping that placed Mr. Ayala in the vicinity of these events at the relevant times.
Mr. Ayala was arrested for this homicide by a task force from the United States Marshals Office and members of the Schenectady and Colonie Police Departments on January 23, 2024, while he was staying at a Colonie motel and still in possession of his girlfriend’s car. When questioned that day by Schenectady detectives, Ayala denied spending any time on Odell Street or knowing Matteo Henderson, in direct contradiction of substantial evidence presented by the prosecution at trial.
District Attorney Robert M. Carney stated, “Our trial team of ADA John Carson and ADA Jillian Lambert supported by our investigative staff did an excellent job producing all of this testimony that taken together established Mr. Ayala’s guilt for this homicide. As to why the jury convicted him of manslaughter and not murder, the jury may have concluded there was ambiguity as to his intent given the fact that he shot only one time from some distance away, even though the shot produced a fatal head wound. But, it will not matter in this case in terms of his sentence. Because of Mr. Ayala’s extensive history of violent felonies, he qualifies as a mandatory persistent violent felon and must receive a sentence ranging from 20 to Life to 25 to Life, the same maximum life sentence he could have received had he been convicted of murder.”
Mr. Ayala does not presently have a scheduled sentencing date. Hon. Mark J. Caruso, in his capacity as acting Schenectady County Court Judge presided. The case was prosecuted by Special Victims Bureau Chief John J. Carson and Assistant District Attorney Jillian Lambert. Mr. Ayala was represented by assigned counsel Kyle L. Davis, of the Law Office of Kyle L. Davis.