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A Syracuse man, Donnell Thornton, already serving a life sentence for a double murder, has admitted to a third killing. Thornton, 31, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter for the fatal shooting of Ronmaine Fontaine in December 2021. The incident occurred in the parking lot of Laialina’s Tavern in Syracuse.
Thornton was initially charged with murder but accepted a plea deal that reduced the charge to manslaughter, resulting in an additional 25-year sentence. This sentence will not extend his time in prison as he is already serving life without parole for a double homicide in 2022. In that case, Thornton and two others killed Alexis Sellin and Jamie Crawford in their apartment, leaving a disabled boy alone with the bodies for days.
Prosecutor Anthony Copani stated that the plea deal was not a reflection of weak evidence but a practical decision since Thornton is already serving a life sentence. Thornton was scheduled to be sentenced for Fontaine’s killing on March 2. The case highlights ongoing concerns about violent crime in Syracuse and the legal system's handling of repeat offenders.