Schenectady man convicted of manslaughter in fatal 2022 shooting

A Schenectady man has been convicted of manslaughter in a 2022 shooting.

David Ayala, 39, was found guilty of causing the death of 26-year-old Matteo Henderson on Nov. 23, 2022. It happened on Odell Street in the city of Schenectady.

Prosecutors said that Ayala, aka “Blokk,” shot Henderson in retaliation for a previous fight between the two during the summer. Witnesses testified that they heard Ayala say he would harm or kill Henderson.

In addition, the vehicle Ayala used was caught on video leaving the scene. It was registered to his longtime girlfriend. Prosecutors said he obscured the license plate to avoid detection. In addition, the DA’s Office said that Ayala hid the car in a friend’s garage on Furman Street.

The gun that Ayala used was illegal.

U.S. Marshals and the Colonie Police Department arrested Ayala on Jan. 23, 2024 while he was staying at a Colonie motel.

The jury acquitted Ayala of second-degree murder. District Attorney Robert Carney said in a statement that since Ayala only fired one shot from a short distance away, the jury may have concluded there was ambiguity as to Ayala’s intentions.

In addition to manslaughter, Ayala also was convicted of two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of tampering with physical evidence.

Ayala will be sentenced at a later date. Because of his multiple felony convictions, he faces a sentence of up to life in prison.