Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jonel Lattore, 38, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree for shooting and killing a 21-year-old camp counselor in August 2017. The victim was walking home from a nearby store when the defendant fired multiple shots, striking the young woman once in the head.

District Attorney Katz said, “A young woman was violently and suddenly killed leaving her family stunned and grieving. This was a senseless shooting. The defendant has now admitted his guilt and will be punished for his criminal actions.”

Lattore, of 199^th Street, in the St. Albans section of Queens, pleaded guilty late yesterday to manslaughter in the first degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder set the defendant’s sentencing for December 6, 2021. Justice Holder indicated he will sentence Lattore to 17 years in prison, to be followed by five years’ post release supervision.

District Attorney Katz said, on the evening of August 15, 2017, the victim Teriana Holcombe, of Cambria Heights, Queens, was walking home from a store with several other individuals. Ms. Holcombe’s friend who was walking with her had been involved in a physical confrontation with the defendant earlier in the evening.  As the 21-year-old woman walked away from the store, a male from the other group yelled out at them. Ms. Holcombe and the others in her group turned toward the second group and that is when Lattore fired a several shots from a handgun. One bullet struck Ms. Holcombe in the head, killing her.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Tara DiGregorio, Unit Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Peter J. McCormack III and John Kosinski, Senior Deputy Bureau Chiefs, Karen Ross, Deputy Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.