Task force raid in Brooklyn uncovers wigs potentially connecting a man to two murder cases.

A Brooklyn man who has prior convictions was charged in a federal court on Tuesday for unlawful possession of a firearm and is reportedly under investigation for involvement in two murders that took place in the Crown Heights neighborhood. The accused, 37-year-old Thomas Weston, is suspected of playing a role in the September and October homicides tied to a gunman characterized by a distinctive pink-and-black wig, as indicated by court documents.

Federal authorities had been monitoring Weston prior to his arrest. U.S. marshals, part of a specialized regional task force, conducted a pre-dawn raid on his residence on January 15. The operation occurred after Weston violated the conditions of his supervised release stemming from a previous gun-related offense. The arresting deputy marshal, David Roman, was alerted to Weston’s possible involvement in two homicide investigations being conducted by the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Those investigations pertain to the September 1 shooting death of Donnell Thomas, 37, who was shot just blocks from his residence on St. Johns Place, and the October 23 fatal shooting of 25-year-old Kendall Friday, located on the same street. Notably, Weston resides in close proximity to the sites of both incidents.

In the course of the raid, as Weston’s arrest was unfolding, NYPD detectives were also involved, maintaining security while marshals executed their warrant. During the search, Detective David Gomez found a wig on a table in the apartment, partially obscured by snacks. This discovery prompted Gomez to request a search warrant for a more thorough investigation of the premises.

Although it remains unverified whether the wig in Weston’s apartment is the same one used in the homicides, law enforcement sources indicated that a second wig was also found. Upon securing a warrant for a more extensive search, authorities located a 9-mm handgun concealed in a black bag within the apartment. However, the firearm does not match the ballistics evidence linked to the two murder cases.

Weston’s legal representation sought to suppress the evidence obtained during the search, contending that it was executed unlawfully. Following a hearing on the matter, Weston chose to plead guilty to the charges related to his possession of a firearm as a felon, as well as to the violation of his supervised release. Based on the sentencing guidelines, Weston could face a prison sentence of approximately four to five years for the gun charge and up to 18 months for the supervised release infraction. Notably, Weston has denied any connection to the murders, and as of now, no charges have been formally filed in relation to either homicide, leading to ongoing investigations by local law enforcement.

As this situation develops, it underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in curbing gun violence and addressing the complexities surrounding unsolved homicide cases in urban settings.