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Luis Rondon, age 50, of New Windsor, was convicted in Orange County Court of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon on Thursday, Oct. 7.
The convictions were in connection with the bludgeoning death of a woman on Oct. 7, 2019, inside her South Gate Village apartment, in New Windsor.
The trial began on Monday, Sept. 20.
Rondon, who was a peace officer and sergeant with the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority at the time of the murder, faces up to 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on Wednesday, Dec. 15.
Rondon was initially apprehended in California in connection with the charges and was remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail following the verdict.
At the trial, prosecutors argued that Rondon had killed the victim, who he knew through their association with the Society for Creative Anachronism, a Medieval Reenactment group by striking her repeatedly on the head with a recently purchased framing hammer, and then flew to California, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler said.
Prosecutors said Rondon’s motive for killing the victim was that she had threatened to tell his wife about their relationship and that he feared losing his wife, his house, and his pension from Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.
“This was a particularly brutal murder that was made even more horrific by the fact that the victim was killed in her own home,” said Hoovler. “It is always disturbing when someone whose job is to promote public safety commits acts of senseless violence.
"This defendant deserves the maximum sentence that the law allows, and my office will recommend that he receives it. I thank the Town of New Windsor Police Department, the New York State Police, and Orange County Sheriff’s Office for their actions on this case.
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