Providence man sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for 2021 double murder
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Providence man has been sentenced in Providence Superior Court to life in prison for the murders of Abdoulaye Diallo and Abass Mbaye in 2021.
On May 29, 2025, Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers sentenced Kelvin Maldonado (age 32) to four consecutive life sentences and a concurrent term of 16 years to serve. On January 29, 2025, following the conclusion of a 12-day jury trial before Judge Rodgers, a jury found the defendant guilty of two counts of murder, three counts of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.
“Two men tragically lost their lives because the defendant had access to a gun and decided to use it to settle a meaningless dispute,” said Attorney General Neronha. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively enforce all of Rhode Island’s gun laws to achieve safety, justice, and accountability. While nothing can return Mr. Diallo and Mr. Mbaye to their families, the four consecutive life sentences imposed by Judge Rodgers more than align with the severity of the defendant’s crimes. I hope this sentencing provides some closure for the families of both victims, and my thanks to the Providence Police Department for their hard work on this difficult case.”
During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant murdered both Abdoulaye Diallo and Abass Mbaye, and fired upon a third male victim.
On June 20, 2021, at approximately 3:20 a.m., Providence Police responded to a report of a shooting near Cheshire and Salina Streets in Providence. Upon arrival, investigators discovered Mr. Diallo unresponsive on the ground and found Mr. Mbaye in the passenger seat of a Range Rover. First responders transported both men to Rhode Island Hospital where they were pronounced deceased.
According to witness testimony, Mr. Diallo and Mr. Mbaye attended a party with the defendant on Cheshire Street. At some point during the evening, a party attendee asked the men to leave after discovering that they snuck in without paying a cover fee. Once outside the residence, the conflict turned physical, at which time the defendant shot both men.
Investigators identified the defendant as the shooter using video footage from four different sources. Further, one witness told investigators that they saw the defendant brandish a firearm in the same area where the shots were fired. Additionally, investigators used cell phone location data to place the defendant near the crime at the time of the shooting.
“I want to thank the men and women of the Providence Police Department and the Attorney General’s Office for their work in bringing this defendant to justice,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez, Jr. “The Providence Police Department will always work tirelessly to keep our streets safe and protect our community from those that perpetrate violent crime.”
Assistant Attorney General John Moreira and Special Assistant Attorney General Daniel Hopkins of the Attorney General’s Office, and Detective Thomas Richards, Detective Raymond Majeau and Detective Theodore Michael (retired) of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.