A murderer jailed for killing a disabled man in a sadistic gang attack has died in a car crash after being released from prison.
Stephen Bonallie was just 17 when he battered vulnerable Brent Martin to death, along with William Hughes and Marcus Miller. All three were jailed for life for the senseless slaying, in 2007, during which Brent, 23, begged for his life.
But Bonallie's minimum prison term of 18 years was eventually cut to 14 years, and the Chronicle understands he was released from jail in 2022. Durham Constabulary said Bonallie died in a collision, which happened during the early hours of New Year's Eve on the A167, near Durham City.
Officers say he was travelling in a silver Audi A6 estate, when the car collided with a tree at just before 2am. Bonallie was pronounced dead at hospital while another man, in his 30s, who was in the car remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Brent's murder, on Sunderland's Town End Farm estate, shocked the nation. The victim, who had learning disabilities, sobbed and begged his killers to be his friend, even telling them he loved them, during the horrific attack.
But the pitiless onslaught continued despite Brent's pleas, and he was kicked and stamped on before being left to die in a pool of blood with his pants around his ankles. Hughes, then 21, and Marcus Miller, then 16, admitted murder and Bonallie was found guilty after a trial.
All three were jailed for life in 2008, but Bonallie, formerly of Birtley Avenue, Sunderland, had his minimum term of 18 years cut to 15 years by appeal judges later that year. Then in 2016 it was reduced again to 14 years after a second review by a High Court judge in London. And Bonallie expressed his remorse in a letter read to the court.
He said: “The night of the attack was knowones (sic) fault but my own. I was a young, angry, immature teenager that thought it was clever to drink and take drugs with peers, but now I know it was stupid. Not that I didn’t know then because I did, I just never thought it would lead to a man’s death. I do have genuine remorse and will never truly understand what my victim’s family and loved ones are still going through.”
But at the time Brent's family told how they could never forgive Bonallie. Brent's twin sister, Danielle Flynn said: "If he has changed, good luck to him, but our family will never be able to forgive him. How can you forgive the humiliation and degradation of what they did?"
And after hearing of Bonallie's death Danielle expressed her mixed emotions in a public post on Durham Constabulary's Facebook page and sent condolences to his family.
She wrote yesterday: "This is Stephen Bonallie one of the three who murdered my twin brother. This year when he was released I spent it upset, angry he was getting to start his life again when he was a big part in my brother loosing his.
"However I found out yesterday morning in disbelief that he died in a car accident. I spent the day with mixed emotions; happy, sad, gutted etc. God works in mysterious ways and I think it comes to us all. I guess it's because I'm human I know what it feels like to lose a brother and my mother knows what it feels like to lose a son so condolences to his family."
Bonallie’s family have released a statement via police. They said: “It is with deepest regret that we announce the death of our Stephen James Bonallie, 32 years, who was involved in a tragic road traffic collision on the A167, Durham, on the morning of Saturday, December 31, 2022.
“He was a much-loved son, brother, boyfriend, nephew, uncle, brother-in-law and cousin and will be sadly missed. We wish to thank everyone for their support and ask to be left so that we can grieve in peace.”
The collision is being investigated by Durham Constabulary’s Collision Investigation Unit and officers have appealed for witnesses.
Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident reference number 26 of December 31.
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