Twin sister’s ‘disbelief’ after her disabled brother’s murderer dies in Durham car crash
The twin sister of a disabled man who was murdered has sent her condolences to the family of the man responsible after he died in a car crash.
Danielle Flynn had previously said she would "never be able to forgive" the killers who brutally beat her 23-year-old brother, Brent Martin, to death in 2007.
Stephen Bonallie, who died in a car accident on New Years Eve, was 17 when he and two others carried out the attack the attack on Mr Martin.
Bonallie, along with his accomplices William Hughes and Marcus Miller, were given life sentences at Newcastle Crown Court in February 2008.
But Bonallie's minimum prison term of 18 years was eventually cut to 14 years on appeal, and it is understood he was released from jail in 2022.
On hearing about Bonallie's death, Ms Flynn wrote: "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 losing 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."
Durham Police said Bonallie died in a collision on the A167 near Durham on 31 December.
Officers say he was travelling in a silver Audi A6 estate when the car collided with a tree just before 2am.
Bonallie, 32, was pronounced dead at hospital while another man, also in his 30s, who was in the car remains in a critical condition in hospital.
The collision is being investigated and anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling 101.
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