2 Riverhead Residents Charged with Murder

Two Riverhead residents have been arrested for allegedly killing a 25-year-old Shirley man in Coram during a robbery earlier this month, Suffolk County police said and court records show.

Marcus Reid, 23, was arrested on December 13 and Monique Brown, 28, was taken into police custody on December 28, authorities said. Both were charged with second-degree murder in the death of Branzel Bonner Jr., authorities said. 

Sixth Precinct police officers responded to the woods behind 50 A Middle Country Road after a person found a man shot at 9:53 a.m. on December 2, police have said. Bonner was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In addition to the murder charges, Reid was indicted December 17 on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon, and Brown was indicted the same day on a charge of robbery, court records show.

Reid pleaded not guilty in Suffolk County court on December 23 and was ordered held without bail at Suffolk County jail. Brown pleaded not guilty on December 28, when a judge set her bail at $150,000 bond or $50,000 cash, which was not posted. Brown is due back in court on January 21 and Reid is due back on February 16.

Homicide Squad detectives are continuing the investigation.