Man sentenced for Murder of Brooklyn Philanthropist

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez speaks during a news conference. Photo: Mary Altaffer/AP

FORT GREENE — Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that a homeless man has been sentenced to 32.5 years to life in prison for stabbing a Brooklyn man 22 times, killing him and then setting fire to his Fort Greene townhouse.

“L. Antonio Litman opened his door, his table and his heart to others, and his kindness and generosity were met with unimaginable violence,” Gonzalez said.

“The theft of such a caring, generous life demanded the accountability that [this] sentence delivers, and my heart continues to be with Mr. Litman’s loved ones and the Fort Greene community as we refuse to let his name be forgotten.”

The defendant, Dondre Richardson, 38, was residing in a Manhattan homeless shelter at the time of the incident.

He was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Donald Leo to 32½ years to life in prison, 25 years to life for second-degree murder and a consecutive term of 7½ to 15 years for third-degree arson. The defendant was convicted of these counts on June 24, 2025, following a jury trial.

According to the evidence, on Jan. 20, 2020, at approximately 3:10 a.m., the defendant was inside the apartment of L. Antonio Litman, located at 248 Adelphi Street, in Fort Greene. The two men were acquaintances.

The defendant stabbed the victim 22 times around his body, killing him. He then set fire to the apartment before fleeing.

The victim’s body was found inside the building by firefighters responding to the blaze. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the victim died as a result of stab wounds.

The defendant’s fingerprints were recovered from a bloody knife left at the scene, and surveillance video captured him outside the building at the time of the incident. The defendant was arrested on Jan. 28, 2020.

The District Attorney thanked Homicide Paralegal Meghan Brancaro and Green Zone Paralegal Aneudy Mata for their work on this case.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Cassandra Pond and Senior Assistant District Attorney Danyelle Shapiro, both of the Green Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Homicide Bureau Chief.