He told you how one of the victims had reached for [Escobar] before he was killed and his blood had gotten all over her shirt. Each of. One of them, Jorge Portillo, who was just 15 at the time of the killing spree,pleaded guilty to charges of murder, racketeering and conspiracy in 2019. People who live in Central Islip generally consider the east part of the city to be the safest. Suffolk County Police investigate the crime scene where four bodies were found in the woods near the Central Islip Recreation Center in April 2017. He was one of a dozen MS-13 gang members and associates charged in connection with the slayings. Thomas Singletary, 36, was sentenced to 104 years to life in prison. / CBS New York. Ringleader Josue Portillo was previously sentenced to 55 years in prison and Freiry Martinez, who helped him plan and orchestrate the attacks, is serving a 50-year sentence. Suffolk PD will receive free vegan donuts, in thanks for the county's new Lost Pet Network. About two-and-a-half hours later at 2:50 a.m. on Sunday, Maresse Stevenson, 41, of Amityville was found shot in the back yard of an Amityville home. A fifth victim escaped the massacre perpetrated by over a dozen members of the vicious, transnational criminal organization. She and Keyli Gomez, who has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and is awaiting sentencing, instigated the ambush after seeing the victims flashing MS-13 gang signs on social media, a judge in the case noted in a June 2018 ruling. The activity was detected last week, Supervisor Angie Carpenter told Newsday. Leniz Escobar, 22, along with Keyli Gomez. "I hope you rot in hell," added Charles Holder, stepfather of Katrice and Mykier Daniels, two sisters who were also killed. A New York State woman connected with the MS-13 gang was found guilty Monday of four separate murders and racketeering. Two men, 51 and 25, were killed early Saturday in separate crashes in Islip, according to state police. This story has been shared 341,355 times. 2,339. I want to express my repentance for what I did when I was out there, Sanchez said. Jurors from the case who had come to watch the sentencing echoed the judge's words. [emailprotected]. [The defendants] are breathing, they can see daylight, Banegassaid through a Spanish interpreter. Prosecutors also played a jailhouse phone call Escobar had with Amador the day after the murders in what appear to be slightly-coded references to the failed five-part homicide. Discover the maritime history of Amsterdam with this combination package. Prosecutors say Leniz Escobar was an associate of MS-13, who provoked the murders and helped gang members carry them out. Prosecutors said Escobar later bragged to her MS-13 boyfriend over several phonecalls that she was happy she set up the massacre. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. One shouted behind me, Hack him! Thank God I managed to get away.. bullied and discriminated against. Escobar was charged in federal court in Central Islip with helping orchestrate the brutal 2017 machete massacre. What is The Best Tex-Mex Restaurant on Long Island? The victims were identified as 16-year-old Justin Llivicura of East Patchogue, 20-year-old Michael Lopez Banegas and Jorge Tigre of Bellport, Jefferson Villalobos of Pompano Beach, Fla., both 18, police have said. Teenager injured in Central Islip shooting Suffolk County Police Third Squad detectives are investigating a shooting that injured a teenager in Central Islip on Wednesday, July 13. When hes not editing, getting hassled by The Man or fielding cold calls to the newsroom, he covers crime, general interest and political news in addition to reporting longer, sometimes investigative features. Browse New Local Jobs, General Mills Gold Medal Flour Recalled In NY Over Salmonella Risk. But [my son] didnt come to this country to kill, she told the court. Deputies observed the woman to swerve over the road lines. A man who was killed and a woman who was seriously injured after an intoxicated teen driver struck them have been identified, police say. Prosecutors say Leniz Escobar was an associate of MS-13, who provoked the murders and helped gang members carry them out. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Defense attorney Gerald DiChiara had asked for a sentence at or below the minimum guideline range. During the trial,Siegel alsodismissed the testimony of Escobars boyfriend, Sergio Vladimir Segovia Pineda, and other MS-13 gangsters who took the stand. Im sorry for what happened.. Another co-defendant, Leniz "La Diablita" Escobar, was convicted last April and is seeking a new trial. In sports, she covered Super Bowl XLVI, World Series with both the Yankees and the Mets, NBA Finals with Michael Jordan and the death of Arthur Ashe. The defendant showed utter disregard for human life by leading the victims into a killing field, to their slaughter, to enhance her stature with her fellow cold-blooded murderers within the MS-13 gang. The survivor, Elmer Alexander Artiaga-Ruiz, told the jury through an interpreter "La Diablita lured us to a park to smoke marijuana. A police spokesman said they are all being actively investigated. claims the teen was told she couldn't attend a school trip. His four friends were not so fortunate. The Suffolk County Police Department is investigating three incidents in the past two weeks in Central Islip, Huntington Station and Greenlawn in which young women were struck by stray bullets . But the defense tried to poke holes in the testimony, asking: "Were the victims members of a rival gang?". In the last Safe City Index (2019), Amsterdam ranked fourth position in the list of safest cities in the world. Escobar was tried as an adult and faces a likely sentence of life imprisonment. We printed out all these text messages, The building receive major structural damage, officials say. March 22, 2022 / 5:45 PM / CBS New York CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- Tuesday was the second day of the MS-13 quadruple murder trial on Long Island. Banegas described her son, a native of Nicaragua, as the happiness of our household and said Villalobos had recently moved to the area, and went to the park that day because his cousin invited him. When they got there, he says around a dozen MS-13 gang members appeared and ordered them to the ground. Timothy Bolger is the Editor in Chief of the Long Island Press whos been working to uncover unreported stories since shortly after it launched in 2003. Vaughan's attorney, William Keahon refused to comment. The gang members surrounded the victims, attacked them, dragged the victims bodies to a more secluded spot, and piled them up, where the remains were found the following day. Anderson Sanchez, 23, had pleaded guilty to racketeering in December 2021 for his participation in the killing of Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez, Jorge Tigre and Jefferson Villalobos. He wont be happy until everyone is as pissed off as he is about how screwed up Lawn Guyland is. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. During her decades-long career, Jennifer McLogan has been recognized for her coverage of breaking news and live reporting on major stories that include the September 11 attacks, Superstorm Sandy, the Gilgo Beach Murders, the Long Island Rail Road massacre, the crash of TWA Flight 800, the Philadelphia Police firebombing of the radical group Move, the Hamptons' Pine Barrens fires, and major snowstorms crippling the Northeast. Visiting Circuit Court Judge Joseph Bianco said that while Sanchez had accepted responsibility for his role in the killings, he had other factors to consider in sentencing him, including the harm caused by the crime. One of the murder victims was so disfigured he was only identifiable by dental records, prosecutors said. Escobar (Credit: United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York photo) and the crime scene (Long Island Press photo), A 22-year-old woman who lured four young men to be hacked to death by machete-wielding MS-13 street gang members in Central Islip was convicted on the, A jury found Leniz Diablita Escobar, whose nickname is Spanish for Little Devil, guilty Monday of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder, obstruction of justice, and murder in aid-of racketeering following a four-week-long trial at Central Islip federal court, not far from the scene of the deadliest mass murder on Long Island in, Thursday Tai Chi with Katherine Henderson at Longhouse Reserve. Escobar showed no emotion as the verdict was read in the courtroom, sitting stiff-shouldered and staring forward blankly. 34,724. The next day, the mutilated bodies of the four were found stacked on top of one another near a childrens playground and soccer field. I already know that. Including for the 2016 Murder of a Central Islip Man. Five young men were ambushed during the April 11, 2017 massacre, with four of them Miguel Lopez, 20, Justin Llivicura, 16, and Jefferson Villalobos and Jose Tigre, both 18 hacked to death and left in a pool of blood. He immediately fled after being promised death. Prosecutorssaid during closing arguments Wednesdaythat Escobar, who was 17 at the time, convinced MS-13 members that the victims mocked them by posting pictures throwing gang signs on social media. He came here to work, as I worked to get ahead for my children., Ullaguarisaid Sanchez and his co-defendants took away my dreams., Bianco told Ullaguarihe has also raised six children and he said of her losing a child that hecant imagine what you went through at that time and what you still go through.. The filing In a rambling statement to the judge, Hasan Vaughan maintained his innocence, criticizing both the judge and prosecutor and claiming jurors were coerced into convicting him. A look at some recent arrests in the area. (Aug. 11, 2009) Credit: Steven Bloomfield, Privacy Policy |Terms of service |Subscription terms |Your ad choices |Cookie Settings |California Privacy Rights |About Us |Contact Newsday |Reprints & permissions |Advertise with Newsday |Help. Each of the three had been shot to death, one of them also strangled with an electrical cord, authorities say. It happened at the federal courthouse in Central Islip on Monday. The 22-year-old man, who was driving a tractor trailer, had a loaded handgun without a permit, police say. The police said that immediately after the dispute on Tuesday night, Mr. Burns drove to the nearby home of his mother, Debra Burns, who called the police and directed officers to the house at 25. With todays verdict, Escobar has been held responsible for the crucial role that she willingly played in orchestrating one of the most vicious and senseless mass murders in the district in memory, Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement. Discover the garden of Europe at Keukenhof with this private, half day tour including an entrance ticket and exclusive service by a private guide and driver. WYANDANCH, NY A 32-year-old Wyandanch man killed on Wednesday morning is the fourth shooting victim in a matter of days on Long Island, police said. The first thing were going to have to handle is sentencing, which is scheduled for September, and theres a lot of work to be done, Siegel said. The mothers of Tigre and Lopez gave victim impact statements at the sentencing, each sobbing as the other spoke. Escobar: Right, but he spilled the beans with the cops. Both Escobar and Gomez were teenagers at the time of the slayings. An MS-13 associate known as "Diablita," who lured four unsuspecting men to their deaths in a park on Long Island, was found guilty at trial Monday. Copyright 2023 Newsday. going to jump her. The 17-year-old was found to have a stolen utility golf cart, a loaded handgun without a permit, and unprescribed narcotics, police say. What to Know About Tick, Lyme Season Following a Mild Winter, Former State Sen. Anna Kaplan Files to Run for George Santos, Rise in Minimum Wage Comes for New Yorkers, But Some Chafe at Compromise, National Grid Plans to Hike Gas Bills By 17%, Files Plan With Regulators, Shinnecock Voices: 6 Shinnecock Women Grow Kelp to Fight Climate Change & Save, Devils learned and adjusted in 1st round victory, Hispano borracho estrella su auto contra patrullero policial, Once Complete, This $16M Home Will Be One of Amagansetts. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara. Sign up for home delivery of Long Island Presshere. A reputed MS-13 member who allegedly spent years on the run after participating in the brutal 2017 slayings of four young men in a Central Islip park is now facing federal murder and. Four victims were beaten and hacked to death with tree limbs, machetes, and knives in what federal prosecutors described in court papers as a horrific frenzy of violence.. Inside the Keukenhof gardens, take plenty of time to admire this beautiful and internationally renowned . CI Student Says She Couldn't Go On Field Trip Because She Is Black, Man Indicted After Zip Tying Central Islip Family, Stealing $6K: DA, Need An Outfit For Prom? Prosecutors said Escobar and another young woman associated with MS-13 lured the four victims and a fifth target to a community park in Central Islip on April 11, 2017. DiChiara said his client became afraid and followed orders that evening. Yolanda DeJesus promised to visit the men in prison to remind them of what they had taken from her. Gomez, who pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with the murders, is awaiting sentencing. "Justice was done," said juror Linda LaRock. of claim will likely become a lawsuit against the district seeking $2 million. "The deck was stacked against me. The trio had been tortured, stabbed and shot in a Central Islip home before their home was set on fire to cover up the crime, prosecutors said. DiRubba. Afterward, explore the collection of the National Maritime Museum, one of the largest and most notable maritime collections in the world. Police said a 911 caller reported that a person was shot at 1527 Straight Path in Wyandanch at about 11:38 a.m. The first storm which will possibly bring up to 2 feet of snow and rain to . Police are also investigating a home burglary on the same day in Islip. Jonnathan Zhicaypincay, 19, struck 2 pedestrians in Islip while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the district attorney says. In her presentencing memo, Farrell said that although Sanchez was 17 at the time of the murders, he played a role in one of the most brutal and horrific crimes committed by the MS-13 on Long Island.. Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. They had weapons machetes. Rahsaan Pressley, 27, was hit by gunfire. Three people were arrested in connection with the shooting in Center Moriches. More than a dozen MS-13 members and associates have been charged in connection with the case. Sign up for Long Island Press email newslettershere. 480. The anger and grief of three murder victims' families filled a Suffolk County courtroom as two Central Islip men, convicted in the 2009 killings, were sentenced Wednesday to spend the rest of their lives behind bars. The crime report encompasses more than 18,000 city and state law enforcement agencies reporting data on property and violent crimes. Following the funerals of the young men and arrests of other MS-13 in another high-profile murder case of teens Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, then President Donald Trump came to meet with the families in an effort to focus on the government's battle with gangs. She later disposed of themalong with her cellular phonefrom a moving car in a failed effort to conceal her involvement. Thank God I managed to get away.". Crime & Safety Man Indicted After Zip Tying Central Islip Family, Stealing $6K: DA The man forced himself into the Central Islip residence and pistol whipped a teenager, the DA says. Two men, 51 and 25, were killed early Saturday in separate crashes in Islip, according to state police. 774. Two potent storms are expected to impact the Northeast this weekend, causing Long Island to experience heavy downpours. I would say that were disappointed, but we do appreciate the time and effort put in by the jury,he said after the verdict Monday. Gunshots fired into a sedan from another vehicle Saturday night in Central Islip killed a Selden man and wounded another occupant, Suffolk police said. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - An MS-13 gang affiliate known as "Diablita," or "Little Devil," was convicted on federal racketeering and murder charges exactly five years to the day after the grisly. "He's grasping at straws that aren't there," added juror Bill Tappin. A "dangerous sexual predator" who terrorized Long Island's South Shore with rapes and burglaries in the 1980s has died in prison at age 60. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Singletary. The jury should not rely on the witnesses that the government put forward, meaning these cooperating witnesses who are all extremely bad people who are testifying pursuant to cooperation agreements,he said as he left the courthouse last week. You heard [gang member] David Gaitan-Riveras testimony, Assistant US Attorney Justina Geraci told jurors. Didnt have a mother. The Central Islip, NY crime data displayed above is derived from the 's uniform crime reports for the year of 2020. On Sunday afternoon at about 4 p.m., two people were shot in the parking lot of a Lidl in Center Moriches as families were out shopping for groceries. Leniz Escobar, 22, lured a group of five men and boys into Central Islip Park in April 2017. Anna Schier, Patch Staff Islip | News | Oct 3 Islip Terrace Man Arrested, Charged In. "This is probably one of the most horrific crime scenes I've come across," said veteran prosecutor Robert Biancavilla. Gregory Thomas says. Spencer Platt/Getty Images The fifth intended. Judge James Hudson dismissed Vaughan's claims as "fantasy." The anger and grief of three murder victims' families filled a Suffolk County courtroom as two Central Islip men, convicted in the 2009 triple murder, were sentenced Wednesday to spend the rest . Have a tip or story idea? Antoinette The fifth intended victim,Elmer Alexander Arteaga Ruiz, now 22, ran for his life and managed to get away. He testified he was among a dozen MS-13 who murdered the victims in cold blood, and that Escobar lured them there. Who Makes The Best Grilled Cheese on Long Island? (SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) - Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the indictment of Beresford Hall, 44, of Wyandanch, who is accused of forcibly entering a Central Islip home with a gun while a family was inside, pistol whipping a teenager, zip-tying multiple family members, and stealing $6,000 in cash and jewelry. MS-13, a notoriously vicious gang also known as La Mara Salvatrucha, was founded by Central American immigrants in Los Angeles in the 1980s. She acknowledged that Sanchez was similarly left behind in El Salvador before being reunited with his parents years later. A 22-year-old woman who lured four young men to be hacked to death by machete-wielding MS-13 street gang members in Central Islip was convicted on thefifth anniversary of the quadruple murder. The family, which has four young children, lost most of their possessions. This was by far one of the most horrific crime scenes weve ever handled, Suffolk County Homicide Detective Jefffrey Bottari testified at the trial. Didnt have a stable childhood.. Apr 27, 2023, 9:47am Updated 3d ago. Moore-Thomas and her husband Gregory Thomas say they constantly spoke with This trial is highlighting the ongoing challenge. The rate of crime in Central Islip is 15.29 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. The 33-year-old Islip Terrace woman was thrown from her car after it struck a tree, police said. Central Islip Crime Data total Crime Index 24 (100 is safest) Safer than 24% of U.S. neighborhoods. "I They were trying to look tough and get attention. Eight or nine covered their faces with sweaters, told us to get down on our knees. All rights reserved, Attacks on Delivery Drivers Add Fears Among Gig Workers, Muslim Mayor From New Jersey Blocked From White House Eid Celebration, Met Gala 2023: Start Time, Theme, Guests & Everything Else to Know, 25-Year-Old Makes $200/Hour Without a Bachelor's Degree: I Work Less Than 6 Hours a Day', Construction May Make Getting to JFK Airport a Nightmare for 3 Years: What to Know, New (Itchy) COVID Symptom Reported as Arcturus' Fuels NY Area Spread. Defense attorney Jesse Siegel maintained that his client was at the scene of the massacre but did not know that the victims would be attacked. We received a trial that was not fair.". 810. One of the girls even said they The emergency response was part of the airports full-scale emergency disaster exercise. One shouted behind me, 'Hack him!' The animals were found in overcrowded cages and with sparse food and water, police say. The worker became trapped between two industrial lifts while working Monday morning, police said. she's going through?" Escobar, who used the handle La Diablita, or Little Devil on social media, is believed to have lured the men to their deaths in an effort to curry favor with the gang members. I have considered your remorse, he told Sanchez before issuing a sentence beyond the 24 1/3 to 30 years, 5 months recommended under federal sentencing guidelines. Long Island Central Islip triple homicide: Complete Coverage The bodies of two women and a man were found by crew responding to a house fire on Hickory Street in Central Islip. Sparks flew during graphic and sordid testimony. The house went ablaze Friday morning, police say. Prosecutors relied on testimony from several gang members, including Escobars then-boyfriend, to make a case against her. Ordered to kneel, and told they were going to die, the assailants made good on their promise except as to 22-year-old Elmer Alexander Arteaga-Ruiz. Homicide Squad detectives are investigating, a police spokeswoman said. They were just high school kids, Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Farrell said during opening statements as the trial began late last month.