32-year-old Providence man sentenced to prison for 2021 double murder that also injured another

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Attorney General Peter Neronha announced that a 32-year-old Pawtucket man, was sentenced in Providence Superior Court to life in prison for the 2021 murders of Abdoulaye Diallo and Abass Mbaye.

On May 29, 2025, Superior Court Justice Kristin Rodgers sentenced Kelvin Maldonado to four consecutive life sentences plus a concurrent 16-year term. Following a 12-day trial, a jury convicted him on January 29, 2025, of two counts of murder, three counts of discharging a firearm during a violent crime, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.

“Two men lost their lives over a senseless dispute because the defendant chose to use a gun,” said Neronha. “We will continue to enforce Rhode Island’s gun laws rigorously with our partners to ensure safety and justice. These sentences reflect the gravity of the crimes, and I hope they bring some closure to the victims’ families.”

The trial established that Maldonado murdered Diallo and Mbaye and shot at a third person. On June 20, 2021, at around 3:20 a.m., Providence Police responded to a shooting near Cheshire and Salina Streets, finding Diallo unresponsive on the ground and Mbaye in a Range Rover. Both were pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital.

Witnesses reported that Diallo, Mbaye, and Maldonado attended a party on Cheshire Street. After being asked to leave for sneaking in without paying, a physical altercation ensued outside, during which Maldonado shot both victims.

Investigators identified Maldonado as the shooter using footage from four sources, witness testimony about him brandishing a firearm, and cell phone data placing him at the scene.

Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez, Jr., praised the collaborative efforts, stating, “The Providence Police Department will always work tirelessly to protect our community from violent crime.”

Assistant Attorney General John Moreira, Special Assistant Attorney General Daniel Hopkins, and Providence Police Detectives Thomas Richards, Raymond Majeau, and Theodore Michael (retired) led the investigation and prosecution.