BROOKLYN, NY – A Brooklyn woman has been sentenced to 23 years to life in prison after a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the fatal shooting of her longtime friend during a candlelight vigil in 2021.
Claudia Banton, 46, was convicted of shooting Delia Johnson, also 46, in the head in Crown Heights on August 4, 2021, just hours after they both attended a funeral for a mutual friend.
A Night of Mourning Turns to Tragedy
According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, Johnson was standing outside, talking with others, when Banton approached her at around 9:40 p.m. on the sidewalk. Without warning, Banton pulled out a handgun and shot Johnson in the head.
As Johnson fell to the ground, Banton fired at least five more shots before fleeing the scene in a waiting vehicle. The brazen attack happened in front of a crowd of mourners gathered for a vigil, causing chaos and panic as people ran for cover.
A Four-Month Manhunt Ends in Florida
Following the shooting, Banton became the subject of an intensive police manhunt. Authorities tracked her down four months later in Florida, where she was arrested and brought back to New York to face charges.
“This shooting was a cold-blooded execution of a woman who was attending a ceremony to honor a late friend,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “It is especially shocking that the defendant was so brazen as to carry out this murder among a crowd of mourners.”
A Family Forever Changed
During the sentencing, Johnson’s family gave emotional statements about the pain and trauma they have experienced since losing their loved one.
Her mother, Delia Berry, spoke directly to Banton, expressing heartbreak and betrayal:
“I did the best I could for Claudia,” Berry said in court, referring to the woman who once was like family.
Her sister, Cordelia McCray, expressed that while she wished the sentence was longer, the family is choosing to focus on healing:
“I feel like she deserved more,” McCray said. “But today is about change, and today is about forgiving.”
Johnson’s brother reflected on the permanent loss:
“Her kids can still call her, still visit her,” he said of Banton. “I’ll never see my sister again. I’ll never laugh with her again.”
Justice Served After Four Years
The sentencing brings some closure to a case that shocked the community and left a lasting impact on those who knew and loved Delia Johnson. Her tragic death, captured in disturbing surveillance footage that showed the execution-style killing, drew widespread attention and deep sorrow across Brooklyn and beyond.
Claudia Banton, 46, was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison after being convicted of murdering her friend Delia Johnson in Brooklyn during a 2021 candlelight vigil. The killing, which took place in front of mourners, was described by prosecutors as a cold-blooded execution. Johnson’s family, though heartbroken, shared powerful messages of pain and forgiveness in court. Banton was arrested months later in Florida and brought to justice after a determined police search.
