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Valentine's Day Strangler Sentenced For Killing Woman, Dumping Her Body On Long Island

A man will spend the next 25 years behind bars for strangling a woman to death

Andrew Avila.

Andrew Avila.

Photo Credit: Nassau County Police

Andrew Avila, age 26 of Elmont, received his sentence of 25 years in prison on Thursday, July 11, the Nassau County District Attorney announced.

In the early morning hours of February 14, 2023, Avila met up with 39-year-old Rebecca Carlson at his car in Mineola.

Avila had contacted Carlson through a website, and the two had later agreed to meet up in person for sex.

However, the pair got into an argument that escalated when Carlson allegedly refused Avila’s demands for more.

The argument turned physical when Avila began strangling the woman to death.

After Carlson died, Avila disposed of her body next to a dumpster behind the Advanced Auto Parts retail store at 1146 Grand Avenue in South Hempstead, where it was discovered later that morning by a store employee.

“Andrew Avila brutally strangled Rebecca Carlson to death in his car after a Valentine’s Day tryst that didn’t end the way he wanted,” said DA Donnelly. “Without a care for the life he extinguished, the defendant dumped Rebecca’s body behind a local storefront with the trash and drove off.”

“Avila will now spend more than two decades of his young life behind bars for his callous violence. Our thoughts remain with Rebecca’s family as her killer is brought to justice.”

Avila was arrested in Hewlett on March 2, 2023.

He pleaded guilty in April 2024 to first-degree manslaughter. 

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