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Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Friday, Nov. 8, Luis Rondon, 49, of New Windsor, was arraigned before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown, on an indictment charging him with crimes including second-degree murder in connection with the bludgeoning death of a woman inside of her the Town of New Windsor residence.
Rondon, a peace officer and sergeant with the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon.
The indictment charges that Rondon intentionally caused the death of Deborah Waldinger on Oct. 7 in New Windsor.
Waldinger was found dead after a maintenance worker entered her Southgate village apartment, Town of New Windsor Police Deputy Chief Michael Farbent said.
At the arraignment, prosecutors said that Rondon had killed the victim by striking her repeatedly on the head with a recently purchased hammer, and then flew to California.
After being apprehended in California in connection with the charges, Rondon was remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail. He is next scheduled to appear in court on Friday, Dec. 6.
Rondon faces 25 years to life in prison on the charge of second-degree murder.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Town of New Windsor Police Department and New York State Police for their investigation and the arrest of the defendant, as well the Orange County Sheriff’s Office who aided in the investigation.
“The tragic death of this young woman is made even more horrific by the fact that it occurred in her own home,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “It is always disturbing when someone whose job is to promote public safety is accused of senseless violence. 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Milza and Assistant District Attorney Colleen Decker.
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