Rochester Man Charged With Murder After Drug Dispute Kills 64-Year-Old on Hague Street

Troy Dukes has been charged with murder after fatally shooting Ronald Leonard Jr. three times on Hague Street in Rochester on Aug. 30, following a weeks-long drug dispute.

Drug feud ends in fatal shooting on Hague Street, Rochester suspect arraigned

A weeks-long dispute over drug territory culminated in the fatal shooting of 64-year-old Ronald Leonard Jr. on Hague Street in Rochester on Aug. 30, according to 13wham.com. Troy Dukes, identified as the suspect through video surveillance, has been charged with murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

"There was a dispute over drug property that's kind of been brewing at least several weeks before the murder, and it all came to fruition on Aug. 30," said Captain Frank Umbrino of the Rochester Police Department.

Umbrino said Dukes knew Leonard through the drug trade and tracked him before the attack. Dukes ran up on Leonard as he walked down Hague Street that afternoon and opened fire. According to the criminal complaint, Dukes fired five rounds from a handgun, striking Leonard three times in the upper body. Leonard died from his wounds.

Investigators identified Dukes after reviewing video surveillance footage in the area, which led them to additional locations and further footage. Dukes was arraigned Friday in a tense court proceeding. His mother was removed from the courtroom after repeatedly shouting, "That's my son!"

During the investigation, police executed search warrants at several drug houses linked to Dukes. Officers recovered more than 100 packets of fentanyl and 36 packets of cocaine, all packaged for street sale, along with more than $3,000 in cash. Dukes was not charged in connection with the drug seizure, though others were. No further details about those arrests have been released.

"One of the things that we do in our murder investigations, unfortunately, quite frequently, drugs are a step-off point for a lot of the violence that we have," Umbrino said.

Dukes was held without bail following his arraignment. Monroe County Jail records indicate a further court appearance is scheduled for Monday.

"It's the people using the guns that are the issue, and it's their way of dealing with conflict, resorting to using a gun, which is the problem," Umbrino added.

Source: Eyewitness News Bahamas