Overcast 69°
Police & Fire
Man Charged With Causing Death Of Long Island Woman Found In Wooded Area Man Charged With Causing Death Of Long Island Woman Found In Wooded Area
Man Charged With Causing Death Of Long Island Woman Found In Wooded Area A man has been arrested for causing the death of a woman whose body was found in a wooded area of Long Island over the summer. The body of 37-year-old Manorville resident Carmelina Maria Velasquez-Zhau was discovered in Manorville on Thursday, July 30. A home health aide, who was visiting a resident of Villas at North Pine Hills, was jogging when he discovered the body on the ground in a wooded area just east of Winding Path late that morning. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation. Late Thursday night, Oct. 1, Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives charged&nb…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Man Gets Maximum Sentence For DWI Crash That Killed Long Island Seventh-Grader Man Gets Maximum Sentence For DWI Crash That Killed Long Island Seventh-Grader
Man Gets Maximum Sentence For DWI Crash That Killed Long Island Seventh-Grader A Long Island man who was convicted of driving drunk into a group of boy scouts, killing a 12-year-old boy, has been given the maximum sentence following a lengthy trial last year. Thomas Murphy, 62, of Holbrook, was sentenced to a term of 8 ⅓ and 25 years in prison on Wednesday, Sept. 30, two years after a crash in Manorville that took the life of seventh-grader Andrew McMorris of Wading River. Specifically, Murphy was found guilty last December by a jury of: Two counts of aggravated vehicular assault; Two counts of second-degree vehicular assault; Two counts of third-degree assaul…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Woman Found Dead In Wooded Area On Long Island Woman Found Dead In Wooded Area On Long Island
Woman Found Dead In Wooded Area On Long Island Police are investigating the death of a woman found dead in a wooded area on Long Island. A home health aide, who was visiting a resident of Villas at North Pine Hills in Manorville, was jogging when he discovered a female body on the ground in a wooded area just east of Winding Path and called 911 at around 10:45 a.m., Suffolk County Police said. The woman, whose name is being withheld pending the notification of next of kin, was pronounced dead by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. An autopsy will be done by the Suffolk County Medical …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
ID Revealed, Photo Released Of 24-Year-Old Gilgo Beach Victim ID Revealed, Photo Released Of 24-Year-Old Gilgo Beach Victim
ID Revealed, Photo Released Of 24-Year-Old Gilgo Beach Victim The identification of “Manorville Jane Doe,” also referred to as “Jane Doe #6,” has been announced by authorities. Her body was found along with 10 other sets of remains in Gilgo Beach on Long Island. The Suffolk County Police Department, together with the FBI, made the announcement on Thursday, May 28 after utilizing genetic genealogy to determine the ID. Valerie Mack, who also used the name Melissa Taylor, went missing in 2000 at the age of 24.  She was working as an escort in Philadelphia at the time of her disappearance and family members last saw her in the spring or summer of 2…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Woman Whose Remains Were Found On Gilgo Beach ID'd, Police Say Woman Whose Remains Were Found On Gilgo Beach ID'd, Police Say
Woman Whose Remains Were Found On Gilgo Beach ID'd, Police Say After years of searching for the identity of Jane Doe #6 whose body was found along with 10 other sets of remains on Long Island, police say they have identified the woman. The Suffolk County Police Department, together with the FBI, announced Friday, May 22, they have positively identified “Manorville Jane Doe,” also referred to as “Jane Doe #6.” The department said the use of DNA techniques earlier this year in their ongoing effort to advance the investigation, known as the Gilgo Beach Murders. They are expected to reveal the name sometime on Friday on a special website gilgonews.com set…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist Killed In Fiery Crash At Long Island Intersection Motorcyclist Killed In Fiery Crash At Long Island Intersection
Motorcyclist Killed In Fiery Crash At Long Island Intersection A man was killed when a motorcycle burst into flames after crashing into a Jeep at a Long Island intersection. It happened on Tuesday, April 7 at around 8:21 p.m. in Mastic. Kristen Conrad, 31, of Manorville, was driving a 2006 Jeep Liberty southbound on Mastic Road, when the vehicle made a left turn onto Eleanor Avenue in the path of two northbound motorcycles, Suffolk County Police said. The motorcycles were operated by Bernard Lafayette, 31, of Mastic, in front and Walter Mason, 35, of Mastic, behind.  The motorcycle operated by Lafayette crashed into the Jeep, accord…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Driver Wanted For Leaving Scene Of Long Island Crash Driver Wanted For Leaving Scene Of Long Island Crash
Driver Wanted For Leaving Scene Of Long Island Crash Recognize this vehicle? Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police investigators are attempting to locate the driver involved in a hit-and-run in Manorville earlier this year. According to police, a man riving an Optimum vehicle on Ocean View Boulevard at approximately 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18 struck a mailbox and proceeded to speed away from the scene without taking responsibility. Police described the suspected driver as white, clean-shaven, in his late 50s with salt-and-pepper hair. Anyone with information regarding the driver or the hit-and-run has been asked to conta…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
ID Released For Man Killed In Long Island Crash Involving Overturned Sedan ID Released For Man Killed In Long Island Crash Involving Overturned Sedan
ID Released For Man Killed In Long Island Crash Involving Overturned Sedan A man who was killed in a single-vehicle crash involving an overturned sedan on Long Island has been identified. It happened around 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 3 in Riverhead on County Road 94 about one-half mile west of the Suffolk County Correctional in Riverhead, Southampton Town Police said. Responding officers found an overturned 2006 Acura sedan that had apparently left the roadway.  The sole occupant, now identified as Nicholas Rutigliano, 30, of Manorville, was trapped and heavy rescue was contacted for extrication. He was found unresponsive. The road…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Man Killed In Long Island Crash Involving Overturned Sedan Man Killed In Long Island Crash Involving Overturned Sedan
Man Killed In Long Island Crash Involving Overturned Sedan This story has been updated. A man was killed in a single-vehicle crash involving an overturned sedan on Long Island. It happened around 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 3 in Riverhead on County Road 94 about one-half mile west of the Suffolk County Correctional in Riverhead, Southampton Town Police said. Responding officers found an overturned 2006 Acura sedan that had apparently left the roadway.  The sole occupant, now identified as Nicholas Rutigliano, 30, of Manorville, was trapped and heavy rescue was contacted for extrication. He was found unresponsive. Th…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Long Island Road-Rage Incident Lands Grandfather In Hospital, Police Say Long Island Road-Rage Incident Lands Grandfather In Hospital, Police Say
Long Island Road-Rage Incident Lands Grandfather In Hospital, Police Say A Suffolk County man is recovering after suffering numerous injuries during an alleged road rage incident. According to Suffolk County Police, the 73-year-old man was injured around 10:50 p.m., Monday, Dec. 16, after getting into a fight following a road rage incident on Moriches Middle Road in Manorville. The man, identified as John Blanco by ABC 7 News, and his grandson Joe Blanco, were reportedly driving slowly when the driver behind them became impatient and began tailgating and honking his horn, the news channel reported. According to the family, the driver then began yelling and…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
News
Holbrook Man Driving Drunk Convicted Of Vehicular Homicide In Scout's Death Holbrook Man Driving Drunk Convicted Of Vehicular Homicide In Scout's Death
Holbrook Man Driving Drunk Convicted Of Vehicular Homicide In Scout's Death The Long Island man who drove drunk into a group of boy scouts, killing one, has been convicted of vehicular homicide following a lengthy trial. Thomas Murphy, 60, of Holbrook, was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday, Dec. 18 of: two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide;  second-degree manslaughter;  second-degree assault;  two counts of second-degree vehicular assault;  two counts of third-degree assault and reckless driving. It was alleged that Murphy, 60, was drinking with three friends at the Swan Lake Golf Course in Manorville before getting into his Mercedes, v…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Four Charges Dismissed In Trial Of Accused Drunk Driver In Fatal LI Crash That Killed Boy Scout Four Charges Dismissed In Trial Of Accused Drunk Driver In Fatal LI Crash That Killed Boy Scout
Four Charges Dismissed In Trial Of Accused Drunk Driver In Fatal LI Crash That Killed Boy Scout Four of the 16 charges against a Long Island man accused of driving drunk and killing a Boy Scout have been dropped. A judge dropped charges that are “no longer legally sustainable,” which relied on Holbrook resident Thomas Murphy’s blood alcohol content level being above .18 percent, more than double the legal limit. According to reports, Murphy’s lawyers contended that a witness for the prosecution withheld certain notes about Murphy’s BAC on the day he struck and killed 12-year-old Andrew McMorris last year. They also alleged that Murphy’s test may have been contaminated. It is alleged …

SHARE

by Zak Failla