A jury on Tuesday convicted a man charged in the 2022 fatal shooting of a Rochester musician.
The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office said a jury found Rahjule Keeton, 21, guilty of second-degree murder and first and second-degree robbery.
James Hallenbeck, 29, was found dead on Olean Street at Coretta Scott Crossing, not far from his home, on Aug. 21, 2022. Police say he had been shot in the neck and also had blunt force trauma to his head and body.
Hallenbeck played keyboard for multiple heavy metal bands around Rochester.
Keeton was arrested last November during a traffic stop on a sealed indictment warrant.
At the time of the murder, police said they found no motive behind the killing and Hallenbeck had no money or identification on him when he was found. Later, they learned he had been robbed and his bank cards had been stolen during the incident.
Police say Keeton saw Hallenbeck taking a late-night walk and then he and a second conspirator robbed, shot and killed Hallenbeck before fleeing the area in a vehicle. Officials say the vehicle used to flee the murder scene was one that had been stolen from St. Claire Street in July 2022. The gun that was used to kill Hallenbeck was recovered during a separate investigation and police say it was linked to multiple other violent crimes in the city of Rochester.
Officials say Hallenbeck’s credit card had been used multiple times after his murder at a reservation in Genesee County. However, the individuals who used the card were not connected to his death.
“James Hallenbeck was a local musician who enjoyed taking late night walks to clear his mind,” Assistant District Attorney Michael Caranante said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Rahjule Keeton had other plans when he saw Mr. Hallenbeck on that summer night. I am deeply grateful to the investigators and technicians at the Rochester Police Department for putting in the difficult and tedious work to identify James Hallenbeck’s killer. I also must thank James’ parents for their strength and presence throughout this trial. While no verdict can undo this devastating loss, we hope today brings a measure of accountability and some small comfort to James’ family as they continue to grieve nearly four years later.
Keeton is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2026.
