ALBANY — A 19-year-old city man stands charged with first-degree murder for shooting to death a Shaker High School sophomore in May, 2021.
According to Albany police, Branden Rivera allegedly shot Destiny Greene on Wilbur Street during the commission of a robbery.
Chief Eric Hawkins had said Green was with another minor and two adults to complete a transaction began on Facebook Marketplace when the party they met with opened fire on the car.
Police responded to the May 24 call at around 9:25 p.m., said PIO Steve Smith. Shortly after, staff from Albany Memorial Hospital notified police of a victim with a gunshot wound to the torso.
Greene was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Rivera was arrested following an investigation by Albany detectives. He was arraigned in Albany City Court and remanded to the Albany County jail without bail. Conviction of first-degree murder carries a potential life sentence without the possibility of parole.
He was also charged on the strength of an outstanding warrant accusing him of criminal possession of stolen property.
Greene’s death came during a spate of violence in the city. She was the ninth shooting death of that year at the time. In all of 2020, there were 15 homicides in Albany.
Shaker High held an emotional, heart-wrenching candlelight vigil on June 6, and scores of family members, classmates and school and governmental officials spoke of an intelligent, kind, fun-loving young woman with goals and plans and tried together to make sense of the incomprehensible.
At the vigil Greene’s older sister, Elijahnae Greene, thanked everyone for the support and she hopes the killing will act as a wakeup call.
“She was so full of light and energy and I’m just going to miss this kid so much and if there is one thing I have to say, my sister’s life was not taken in vain. My sister’s death was a revolution, and hopefully it has some impact and will bring the gun violence slowly and eventually ending in Albany,” she said.
