A New York woman has been convicted of throwing a stick of dynamite at her sleeping boyfriend. Keyonna Waddell, 35, was charged with first-degree assault and first-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office stated that Waddell had threatened her boyfriend with dynamite several times before. The incident occurred in March 2024, and the court reached its conclusion earlier this week.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office detailed that Keyonna Waddell and her boyfriend got into a heated argument on March 22, 2024, after which Waddell was told to leave the apartment. When the man returned home, he didn’t find Waddell there and went to sleep. He woke up to a “hissing sound” and saw a live stick of dynamite on the bedroom floor. Panicking, Waddell’s boyfriend tried to throw the explosive out the window. However, by the time he did that, the dynamite detonated and blew off his arm.
A New York woman is convicted after throwing a stick of dynamite into her sleeping boyfriend’s bedroom during an argument
He woke up to a hissing sound, picked it up trying to throw it outside – it detonated in his hand and he lost it entirely. She faces up to 25 years
(via AP) pic.twitter.com/RlpTE3huwJ
— Wild Posts (@wildpostss) April 27, 2026
According to Fox News, the man then ran into the driveway, where he saw Keyonna Waddell running away. He was then rushed to the hospital, where the rest of his arm was amputated. “Domestic violence can escalate to deadly levels, and this case is a sobering reminder of that reality,” District Attorney Tierney said in a statement.
“Thanks to the outstanding work of our prosecutors and the Suffolk County Police Department, a dangerous individual has been held accountable and will face a lengthy prison sentence for this horrific act.” Keyonna Waddell is facing up to 25 years in prison and is set to return to court for sentencing on May 27, 2026.
“This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Dana Castaldo of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Jacob DeLauter of the Major Crime Bureau,” the district attorney said in a statement. “The investigation was conducted by Detective John Caraccia of the Suffolk County Police Department’s First Squad, with assistance by Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Research Analysts Thomas Kolacki and Brooke Baade.”
Say what?! Long Island woman convicted for throwing a burning stick of dynamite at her sleeping boyfriend after an argument — his hand was blown off as he tried to save himself. 👀🧨 😳 pic.twitter.com/RRvw2KFHvF
— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) April 27, 2026
The internet quickly lit up with reactions, with one widely liked comment echoing a question many had: “Where did she even get a stick of dynamite from?” Another user compared Waddell to Wile E. Coyote, a Looney Tunes character who often used dynamite to pursue his enemy, the Road Runner. Coincidentally, Wile E. Coyote is set to appear in a new film titled Coyote vs Acme later this year.
“You can make a bomb with sparklers and electrical tape. She probably wrapped 4 mortar shells together and did that,” one user theorized. Another added, “I would bet my last dollar it wasn’t actually dynamite. Just a big homemade firecracker.” The latter is true as court documents have revealed that Keyonna Waddell used homemade dynamite to execute the attack.
