Cops: 7 teens went looking to beat someone up, and a Patchogue man of Ecuadorean descent ended up stabbed to death

They told police they wanted to beat up someone who looked Hispanic.

That was the motive, police said, that a mob of seven young men had in mind when they attacked a Patchogue man, who ended up being stabbed to death minutes before midnight Saturday, Suffolk police said.

"These individuals told detectives that they were looking to beat someone of Latino heritage," said Det. Lt Jack Fitzpatrick, commander of the homicide squad, adding that the victim, Marcelo Lucero, 37, is of Ecuadorean descent. 

Fitzpatrick said the seven suspects drove around Patchogue searching for victims and found Lucero and another Ecuadorean man. The attack occurred at Railroad Avenue and Sephton Street in Patchogue, near the Long Island Rail Road station.

The seven jumped out of the car and cornered the two men on the street, police said. Police said the second man escaped unharmed and fled to a friend's house, where he and Lucero had planned to watch a movie. He called police and later helped identify the suspects.

The friend who had been waiting for them, Elder Fernandez, 36, said the mob fled and he found Lucero near Funard Court, a few hundred feet from where police said the stabbing took place, covered in blood.

Lucero was transferred to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His relatives could not be reached last night. Fernandez said he has known Lucero since they were 10. "I saw my friend's last minute," he said. "It was miserable."

The teens, all of them white and who live in either East Patchogue or Medford, have been charged with what police say is a hate crime. All seven face a charge of first-degree gang assault. They were being held overnight at the Fifth Precinct in Patchogue and are expected to be arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip today.

One suspect, Jeffrey Conroy, 17, of 189 Jamaica Ave. in Medford, also was charged with first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime, said Fitzpatrick.

Another suspect, Christopher Overton, 16, has the same name, age and address, 9 Yacht St. in East Patchogue, as one who pleaded guilty to burglary in another fatal attack in May 2007 in which a 38-year-old East Patchogue man was shot dead when a group of teenagers robbed his home. A neighbor found the victim, Carlton Shaw, dead in his backyard, his 3-year-old son sleeping on his chest.

The others charged in the hate crime are: Jordan Dasch, 17, of 5 Lyndsie Ct., Medford; Anthony Hartford, 17, of 94 Greenport Ave., Medford; Nicholas Hausch, 17, of 36A Middle Island Ave., Medford; Jose Pacheco, 17, of 244 Hospital Rd., East Patchogue; and Kevin Shea, 17, of 301 Jamaica Ave., Medford.

A woman who answered the door last night at Conroy's home said, "We're not talking to anyone. Sorry."

At Overton's East Patch- ogue home, a man who said he was Overton's father said he believed his son was innocent. "I know he walked away from it" before the stabbing occurred, said the man.

A woman at Shea's home said: "We have no comment."

The other suspects and their families could not be reached.

The attack drew swift reaction from County Executive Steve Levy. "This heinous crime that led to the death of an individual because of his race will not be tolerated in Suffolk County," he said in a police news release.

The Rev. Allan B. Ramirez, pastor of the Brookville Reformed Church in Brookville, decried a climate in which hate crimes can occur. "Unfortunately, on the days after this nation feels so proud of having elected an African-American president, we have to be reminded of the saddest page in our history," Ramirez said.

"We're a very diverse community and have been for my whole life," said Paul Pontieri, mayor of the Village of Patchogue. "We've always had a very strong and very involved Hispanic community."

Conroy, who youth sports coaches recall as an outstanding athlete, said they were saddened by news of his arrest. "He was a very talented multisport athlete when he was younger," said Mike Botti of Holtsville, who coached his football team in the PAL. He said he was a star wrestler and lacrosse player at Patchogue-Medford High. "I am so shocked about this."

Fernandez said Lucero was a fitness buff who lived with friends. He said Lucero moved to America 16 years ago seeking a better life. "I can't sleep. So nervous," he said. "You don't know what's going to happen outside."

Staff writers Michael Amon, Reid Epstein, Dave Marcus and Gregg Sarra contributed to this story.