Orange County resident David Carlson, 48, of Sparrowbush, had been charged with multiple counts of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide after shooting and killing Norris Acosta-Sanchez, who was a suspect in a rape in Ramapo.
Carlson had previously been convicted of first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to five years in prison before a state appeals panel dismissed that verdict in 2018. Prosecutors chose to retry Carlson, who was found innocent following a bench trial.
Acosta-Sanchez was hired by Carlson to do odd jobs in 2013, he later found out that Acosta-Sanchez was wanted in Rockland County for allegedly having sex with a teenage girl.
Carlson reportedly called the police and Acosta-Sanchez was questioned before running into a nearby wooded area, prompting a manhunt. Two days later, Acosta-Sanchez knocked on Carlson’s door, and Carlson answered with a loaded shotgun in his hands.
It is alleged that Carlson then walked Acosta-Sanchez down his driveway and shot him twice after he lunged at him when he threatened to turn him in to law enforcement.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Eastchester and receive free news updates.