Brooklyn teen admits killing federal witness in gang initiation rite; faces 24 to 30 years in prison
A teen gunman who killed a former federal witness in the courtyard of her housing complex admitted he committed the murder to gain membership into a Brooklyn gang.
Joe Santana, now 19, was 16 years old when the feds say he and another man gunned down Shatavia Walls on July 7, 2020 outside the Pink Houses — an East New York city housing development plagued by gang divisions and rivalries.
Walls testified in 2017 about being shot by a member of the Loopy Gang — and the group’s members never forgot, dubbing her a “snitch” and even putting up flyers labeling her a “rat.”
Santana admitted in Brooklyn Federal Court that he shot Walls so he could join the Ninedee Gang, a Loopy Gang affiliate. The other alleged shooter, Quintin Green, is slated to go to trial in May.
Santana, who was locked up in August 2021, is being prosecuted as an adult and pleaded guilty Monday to murder under the federal violent crimes in aid of racketeering act. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Santana could get between 24 and 30 years in prison.
Walls grew up in Building 10 of the Pink Houses, which is aligned with the Ninedee Gang, and married Kevin St. Hill, a reputed member of the rival Mac Baller Brims gang, which operated in Pink Houses Buildings 7 and 8.
Santana, who went by the nickname “Baby Joe,” lived in Queens, but he had family in the Pink Houses, and hung out there often, law enforcement sources said.
Walls got into a brawl in October 2017 with Loopy Gang member Shakeem Boykins. At Boykins’ trial, Walls testified that he shot her twice in the thigh.
Walls started cooperating with the feds after she and her husband were charged in a drug trafficking case in 2018.
Just three days before Walls’ murder, she got into a fight a fight over Fourth of July fireworks with Ninedee Gang members Maliek Miller and Chayanne Fernandez, prosecutors say. Miller called her a snitch, fired a shot in the air, and left, say the feds.
Walls had the wherewithal to snatch Miller’s photo ID, which he dropped at the scene, as well as a spent shell casing — which she gave to her mother for safe keeping, her mom told the Daily News.
It wasn’t over yet between Miller and Walls, say the feds.
Miller plotted with his crew to kill her, and on July 7, 2020, Santana and Green did the deed, prosecutors allege.
Santana and Green waited all afternoon outside Walls’ home in the Pink Houses — they even changed clothes often to disguise themselves, allege the feds.
When Walls finally came outside around 9:25 p.m., Santana and Green ambushed her as she walked along an outdoor path — and shot her in a courtyard as she tried to run, said prosecutors.
Walls died 10 days later.
Fernandez and another man, Kevin Wint, have taken plea deals in connection with the case and are awaiting sentencing. Wint is identified by the feds as a Ninedee gang leader.
Green, Miller, and another suspect, Shakur Bey, still face charges for their alleged roles in the slaying. Bey was indicted as an accessory after the fact because he allegedly provided a “safe haven” to the shooters, helped them dispose of their clothes, and helped one of them flee.
