Mastic man charged in North Bellport shooting death, police say

A Mastic man will remain jailed following his arraignment Wednesday on charges that he shot to death a 25-year-old man this month in North Bellport, authorities said. 

Suffolk County police said Malik Roberts, 22, was arrested by Homicide Squad detectives in Brentwood Tuesday afternoon. He was charged with second-degree murder.

Roberts was held without bail Wednesday in First District Court in Central Islip, court records showed. His next court date is Monday, officials said.

Roberts' attorney, Joseph Hanshe, could not be reached for comment Wednesday night. 

Police said Fifth Precinct officers responding to a 911 call reporting a "possible gunshot victim" outside a Taylor Avenue home in North Bellport on Oct. 21 found the victim, identified as Tyrell D. Smith, about 5:10 p.m. Smith, of Shirley, was pronounced dead at the scene by an assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner, police said.

Police had asked anyone with information to call the Homicide Squad or Crime Stoppers, but it was unclear if any information generated through tips helped lead to the arrest.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com,antonio.planas@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”