A woman from Long Island is looking at a potential 25-year prison sentence for hurling a homemade dynamite stick at her sleeping boyfriend, leading to the loss of his hand as he attempted to dispose of the explosive, authorities reported.
On Friday, 35-year-old Keyonna Waddell was convicted on charges related to the violent altercation that erupted in March 2024 following a heated argument, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
“Domestic violence can rapidly escalate to life-threatening situations, and this case is a stark reminder of that danger,” DA Ray Tierney commented following the verdict.
In the months preceding the incident, Waddell had repeatedly threatened her boyfriend with dynamite, though he never believed she would act on these threats, the DA stated.
After a confrontation on March 22, 2024, both Waddell and her boyfriend left his apartment, but he later returned and went to bed, as per official accounts.
It was then that Waddell allegedly tossed the explosive into his room, the authorities explained.
The boyfriend woke up a little while later to a “hissing sound” and then saw a flame on the floor that he couldn’t put out as time ticked away, police said. He tried to pick it up and toss it outside — but the makeshift bomb exploded and blew apart most of his hand, police revealed.
He stumbled out to the driveway screaming for help and spotted Waddell fleeing the scene, the DA detailed.
He was then rushed by responding police to Nassau University Medical Center, where the remainder of his hand and part of his arm were amputated, officials said.
Waddell was arrested just one day later and found guilty of assault, and multiple criminal weapons possession charges on Friday.
The deranged bomber is due back in court for sentencing on May 27.
