Gabriella Hanley

Gabriella “Gabi” Gina Hanley, a bright and loving 20-year-old woman from Jensen Beach, Florida, was a devoted mother to her 14-month-old daughter, Jayana. Born in Denville, New Jersey, Gabriella had lived on the Treasure Coast for 17 years and was cherished by her family and friends, who remember her as an amazing young woman with a big heart and a beautiful soul. Her cousin recalled that she would give anyone the shirt off her back without a second thought. Her life, full of promise and love for her daughter, was tragically cut short in an act of shocking violence.

On the night of October 5, 2021, Gabriella and her 21-year-old boyfriend, Darrick Mincey Jr., were driving south in a black Kia Forte on Southeast Green River Parkway in Port St. Lucie. At approximately 11:30 p.m., near Southeast Charleston Drive, another vehicle pulled alongside theirs and unleashed a hail of gunfire. Investigators from the Port St. Lucie Police Department later determined that the Kia was struck by 37 bullets fired from two separate rifles. Gabriella was hit multiple times and was found on the ground next to the car. Emergency responders performed life-saving measures, but she succumbed to her injuries on October 6, 2021. Her boyfriend was also shot but survived.

The Port St. Lucie Police Department immediately launched an intensive investigation, believing the shooting was a targeted attack. Detectives began searching for a newer model, silver 2019-2021 Nissan Altima with tinted windows that was believed to have been rented between October 4 and October 7. Within ten days of the shooting, investigators announced they had identified three persons of interest: 21-year-old half-brothers Desean Lamar Brown and Damari Lamar Brown, and an unnamed juvenile. Desean’s last known address was in Stuart, while Damari’s was in Port St. Lucie.

Despite identifying these individuals and the potential getaway vehicle, the investigation stalled. Police emphasized that the three were persons of interest, not official suspects, and no criminal charges were ever filed against them in connection with the murder. The silver Nissan Altima sought by investigators was never located. The lack of an arrest left Gabriella’s family in a state of prolonged grief and frustration.

In the years following the murder, Gabriella's family has refused to let her case go cold. Led by her mother, Nicole Vigilante, they have held vigils, handed out flyers in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, and made public pleas for anyone with information to come forward. "We've been quiet for too long and we’re not going to be quiet anymore,” her mother stated at a demonstration two years after the killing. The family is determined to get answers, not just for themselves, but for Gabriella’s young daughter, who is growing up without her mother and asking questions about her.

As of October 2026, five years after the shooting, the murder of Gabriella Hanley remains unsolved. No arrests have been made, and her killer or killers remain free. The Port St. Lucie Police Department continues to seek information from the public, hoping that a new tip might provide the breakthrough needed to finally bring justice to Gabriella and her family. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Port St. Lucie Police Department at 772-871-5001 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-TIPS (8477). Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.