BRONX MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN THE FIRST DEGREE IN CONNECTION TO THE “CONTRACT KILLING” OF A 21 YEAR-OLD RETAIL CLERK

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a 30 year-old Bronx man has been convicted of manslaughter and other unrelated charges.

Gilberto Adames, of 2307 Morris Avenue, pled guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the 1st degree in the stabbing death of Talina Bryant, a twenty-one year old retail clothing store sales clerk. Bryant died of multiple stab wounds on September 5, 2000. Acting State Supreme Court Justice Megan Tallmer set sentencing for Wednesday, March 23, 2005 in Part T22. The judge indicated that the defendant will be sentenced to a term of 17 ½ years imprisonment, with five years post release supervision. Adames will also be sentenced to a concurrent term of 4 ½ to 9 years imprisonment on an unrelated drug conviction. In that case, Adames pled guilty to one count of Attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 5th degree.

Co-defendant David Mundo, of 1654 Monroe Avenue, the Bronx, pled guilty last October to one count of Murder in the 1st degree. Mundo is currently serving a term of 20 years to life imprisonment. Mundo, in pleading guilty to the first degree murder charge, told the court that the victim’s landlord had paid him to kill the woman and that he had enlisted the assistance of Adames. The unidentified landlord has never been charged because of insufficient evidence.

Mundo, who admitted killing Bryant, said he and Adames bound Bryant with duct tape and stabbed her, before wrapping her body in plastic garbage bags. The pair then buried the victim’s body near the Metro North Railroad tracks at 237th Street and Bullard Avenue.

Bryant had been living in a basement apartment on Hull Avenue in the Norwood section of the Bronx, when she was reported missing on September 6, 2000. Detectives found traces of blood in the apartment but the victim’s body was not recovered. After nearly three years passed, police received information which linked Mundo to the crime. The defendant was arrested and charged with the murder.

This case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Paul Rosenfeld of the General Crimes Division.