Nearly three years after a fatal Christmas Eve shooting rocked the Maskall Street community, justice has been delivered for the family of Darnelle Puerto. A High Court judge has found 31-year-old Shaquille Perrera guilty on two counts: murder for the killing of Puerto, and attempted murder for the wounding of bystander Jehvon Ramclam.
The 2023 incident unfolded on one of the most celebrated nights of the year, turning a holiday gathering into a scene of violence. Multiple gunshot strikes left Puerto dead at the scene immediately after the attack, while Ramclam survived critical injuries to testify against the accused.
Justice Nigel Pilgrim delivered the guilty verdict late Thursday, basing his ruling largely on the firsthand testimony provided by Ramclam, the surviving victim and only eyewitness to the shooting. During the trial, Ramclam told the court he clearly identified Perrera as the gunman under the bright glow of a nearby streetlight moments before he fled the area to take cover. Perrera had pleaded not guilty to all charges, presenting an alibi that claimed he was in a different location at the time of the shooting. But Justice Pilgrim rejected this defense outright, noting that the prosecution had met its burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Perrera committed the crime. In his ruling, the judge clarified that a formal identification parade was not required in this case, because Ramclam already knew Perrera personally before the shooting, making his identification immediate and reliable.
Following the conviction, the court has scheduled sentencing for July 6. Pre-sentencing reports have been ordered to be completed ahead of the sentencing hearing, where Perrera will learn the term of his imprisonment for the convictions. The guilty verdict closes a key chapter in the high-profile case, bringing long-awaited closure to Puerto’s family and the local community that was shaken by the holiday violence three years prior.