Google review posted days before interracial murder arrest allegedly stems from disgruntled employee
Malik "Ernest Dunham" Black and Google reviewer "King G" both use Afro-American inspired monikers and allege employment with the same company. One is also accused of murder for the third time.
GATES, NY - A Black parolee has been arrested in connection with the murder of 47-year-old co-owner of Everdry Waterproofing, Jessica Romich, a White woman from Chili.
Romich, a married mother with two children, was found dead from a gunshot wound in the parking lot of Everdry Waterproofing around 5 p.m. on 30 September 2023. Gates Police, with an attachment of Rochester PD SWAT members, served a no-knock warrant on 47-year-old Ernest “Malik Black” Dunham ten days after the murder unfolded
The team was able to arrest Black in connection to the murder without incident. Black holds previous convictions for 2nd-degree murder and weapons possessions charges.
Gates Police allege that Black, a disgruntled ex-employee, drove to Everdry on 30 September 2023 and became engaged in an argument with Romich, fatally shooting her an unknown number of times and then fleeing the scene. For these alleged actions, Black is being charged with 2nd-degree murder. This charge may be upgraded to 1st-degree murder at trial based on Black’s record and any potential conviction.
Black was acquitted of murder at the age of 15.
Additional charges may be added, according to Gates PD Chief Rob Long.
Anonymous Google Review
At or around October 6th, a Google user identified only as “King G” reviewed Everdry Waterproofing with claims of worker “abuse” and “grimy” business practices. In the scathing review, King G purports to have knowledge of how to install products inside a personal home.
”They abuse there(sic) workers and fire them for all the hard work they do,” wrote King G. “…And they also delete reviews on there(sic) company so no one find out how dirty and grimy this company really is.”
“King” and “G” are both terms commonly used by Black Americans as self-referential titles in African-American Vernacular English (AAVE).
Ernest Dunham would change his name to “Malik Black” while serving a prison sentence for a prior murder conviction. That prison stint began in 1994 when Black was just 17 years old. Black was paroled in 2020.
According to Family Education, the name “Malik” is a rough transliteration of the Arabic word for “lord” or “king.” The name would also be adopted by the famed Black nationalist and member of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X.
If the two are indeed connected, the negative review would provide a brief glimpse into a potential motive for the heinous crime.
The GVO reached out to Gates PD and Malik Black’s parole office, asking if Malik Black was an especially religious, political, or otherwise ideological individual. We also inquired as to the relevance of the “King G” Google review or if any connections could be made during their investigation but did not hear back in time for a response.