A state Supreme Court jury on Tuesday convicted a Rochester man in the 2022 robbery and killing of a local musician, according to the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.
The crime
James Hallenbeck, 29, was found dead on a sidewalk on Olean Street near Coretta Street in Rochester around 1:45 a.m. Aug. 21, 2022, according to the Rochester Police Department.
Investigators determined Hallenbeck had been shot and beaten during a robbery. Police said the shooter and another person fled the scene in a vehicle.
Rahjule Keeton found guilty
Rahjule Keeton, 21, was convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and second-degree robbery in connection with Hallenbeck’s death, according to prosecutors.
Authorities said Keeton saw Hallenbeck walking late at night and targeted him for a robbery before shooting and killing him.
Keeton was arrested in November 2025, more than three years after the homicide.
Prosecutors react to verdict
“James Hallenbeck was a local musician who enjoyed taking late night walks to clear his mind,” Assistant District Attorney Michael Caranante said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Rahjule Keeton had other plans when he saw Mr. Hallenbeck on that summer night.”
Caranante said he hoped the conviction would provide Hallenbeck’s family with “a measure of accountability and some small comfort.”
“While nothing can undo the pain caused by James Hallenbeck’s tragic death, we hope today’s verdict provides his loved ones with a sense of justice,” Monroe County District Attorney Brian Green said in a news release.
What’s next
Keeton is scheduled to be sentenced June 18 by state Supreme Court Justice Victoria Argento.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester man convicted in fatal robbery shooting of local musician
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
