A woman from New York could face a maximum of 25 years in prison after being convicted of throwing a stick of dynamite at her boyfriend while he was asleep.
Keyonna Waddell, aged 35, was found guilty of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a trial by jury, as stated by Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney.
According to a statement from the Suffolk County Attorney’s office, the incident took place on March 22, 2024, in Suffolk County, New York, following an argument between Waddell and her boyfriend inside his apartment, leading the boyfriend to leave and request Waddell to do the same.
Upon his return home, the boyfriend did not find Waddell and went to bed. He was awakened by a hissing noise and saw a flame on the floor of his bedroom. Upon investigation, he discovered a stick of dynamite had been thrown into the room. Despite his efforts to extinguish it, he ended up trying to remove it, causing it to explode in his hand before he could throw it outside, according to reports from the Mirror US.
The explosion caused the boyfriend to lose part of his hand, and he later saw Waddell fleeing on foot from the scene. Subsequent investigations revealed that Waddell had previously threatened the victim with dynamite leading up to the incident, resulting in her arrest on March 23, 2024.
District Attorney Tierney remarked, “Domestic violence can escalate to deadly levels, and this case is a sobering reminder of that reality.” He commended the work of prosecutors and law enforcement for ensuring accountability for the violent act.
Following a jury trial overseen by Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz on April 24, 2026, Waddell was convicted of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both classified as violent felonies.
Waddell’s sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, where she could potentially receive a 25-year prison term. Her legal representation is being handled by Attorney Eric Besso.
The prosecution team includes Assistant District Attorney Dana Castaldo from the child abuse and domestic violence bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Jacob DeLauter from the major crime bureau. The investigation was led by Detective John Caraccia of the Suffolk County Police Department’s first squad, with support from research analysts Thomas Kolacki and Brooke Baade from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of <a data-testid="cipa-cookie-notice-link" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/cookie-policy/" rel="noreferrer" target="_