Riverhead Man Convicted of Fatal Shooting

A Riverhead man was convicted Tuesday of fatally shooting a 37-year-old man two years ago when Suffolk County prosecutors said an argument involving the girlfriends of the shooter and the victim escalated.

A jury found Michael Gilbert, 29, guilty of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the death of Tyrell Durham following a trial at Suffolk County court.

“A man is dead because a needless argument caused this defendant to pull a trigger and  thoughtlessly take the victim’s life,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “One has to wonder if the  defendant, who is now convicted of murder and faces 40 years in prison, thinks it was worth the  time.”

Prosecutors said Gilbert overheard a phone call in which Durham yelled at Gilbert’s girlfriend, Lashonda Coles, who was friends with a woman Durham was dating, on November 26, 2021. When the argument got heated, Gilbert challenged Durham, authorities said. Gilbert then shot Durham with a .22 caliber  semiautomatic handgun at Durham six times, striking him three times, outside of the victim’s home in Moriches, according to investigators.

The victim died an hour later at Long Island Community Hospital in East  Patchogue. Gilbert surrendered to Suffolk police five days later. Eyewitness testimony, forensics evidence and DNA from a sandal that the shooter left at the scene led to his conviction.

Judge Anthony Senft is scheduled to sentence Gilbert on November 2.