Mastic resident charged in fatal stabbing of man in motel in Shirley 

A Mastic man with a long history of arrests told detectives he was "seeing red" when he fatally stabbed another man inside a Shirley motel room June 30, prosecutors said at his arraignment Monday.

Philip Walker, 56, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 63-year-old James Vaughn of Mastic. He was remanded to the county jail by Suffolk County Judge Bernard Cheng.

Police said Vaughn was stabbed at about 5 p.m. at the Shirley Motel on Montauk Highway. The fight occurred in front of a group of people, who were also in the room, police added.

Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Dena Rizopoulos said an eyewitness told investigators they saw Walker enter and exit the hotel room. Clothes and shoes investigators believe Walker wore during the attack were recovered from under his bed, she said.

Rizopoulos said Walker stabbed Vaughn in his chest and abdomen and he was found outside of the hotel room bleeding from his left side.

"Mr. Vaughn was taken to Long Island Community Hospital where doctors tried to repair a hole from a stab wound to his heart," the homicide bureau prosecutor said. "Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful."

He was pronounced dead less than two hours after the confrontation, prosecutors said.

Walker was arrested Sunday after a family member notified police that he was inside her house, Rizopoulos said. He was found hiding in a crawl space beneath a closet, she added.

Rizopoulos said Walker told detectives he was "seeing red at the time of the altercation" and that he "may have stabbed the victim." Prosecutors did not give a reason for the fight.

Prosecutors said Walker has four prior felony convictions on drug-related offenses. He has 29 prior misdemeanor convictions. "All of which have resulted in frequent stints in custody over a span of decades," Rizopoulos said.

Walker's assigned defense attorney Eric Besso, of Sayville, had requested the judge set "reasonable bail," saying it was possible family members may be able to post on his behalf. He said Walker had been unable to work due to a disability from a motor vehicle accident.

Cheng ordered Walker be held without bail, citing the "nature of the alleged crime" and his history of convictions.

Besso declined comment following the arraignment.

Walker faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder. He is due back in court Friday.