Defendant: Damon Scott (DOB 01/29/76)

Oct. 11, 2018 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced Damon Scott, formerly of Yonkers, was found guilty of Murder in the Second Degree in the death of a Yonkers man in 2008 after a cold case investigation. Judge George Fufidio charged the jury Wednesday morning (today) and they returned the verdict shortly after noon. Scott is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 13, 2018. He faces 25 years to life in state prison.

Background
On June 16, 2008 at approximately 4:50 a.m., a Lincoln Town Car taxi pulled up in front of Mexico Car Service on South Broadway in Yonkers where Jerome Hancock, 35, was waiting for a cab. The defendant, Scott, shot Hancock from the front passenger side window striking him in the left upper chest and killing him, and the vehicle drove off. Witnesses at the scene called 911 and members of the Yonkers Police Department responded. At the time of the murder, Scott was a driver for Yonkers Union Taxi.

Scott fled to Georgia in an attempt to elude police. For almost a decade, the fugitive remained in Georgia living under several aliases, unknown to Westchester authorities. In 2013, Yonkers Police Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation.

In 2017, Scott was apprehended in Alpharetta, Georgia on an unrelated matter. It took police in Georgia some time to confirm his identity. When they did, they notified the Yonkers Police Department. An arrest warrant was lodged and the defendant waived extradition. He was returned to Westchester County where he faced the murder charge.

The jury trial began Sept. 12, 2018.

Assistant district Attorneys Lana Hochheiser, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, and Julia Cornachio, Chief of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau, prosecuted the case.

police image of Damon Scott

Damon Scott

 In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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