Oceanside stabbing suspect indicted on murder and weapon charges, court papers say

The Lido Beach teen charged with fatally stabbing an Oceanside High School senior at an after-school brawl has been indicted on a murder charge and a weapon offense, court records show.

Tyler Flach, 18, is being held without bail at Nassau County’s jail following his arrest in the Sept. 16 death of Khaseen Morris, 16.

News of his indictment emerged Tuesday at a Mineola court conference. Prosecutors didn’t announce the specific charges against Flach — saying the investigation was ongoing. He hasn’t yet been arraigned in Nassau County Court on the indictment.

But court records Newsday later obtained show a grand jury indicted Flach on a second-degree murder charge and a count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

"That's great," Morris' sister, Keyanna Morris, 30, said Thursday when learning of the indictment charges. "I'll feel even better when I know justice is fully served."

On Tuesday, Morris' family had heralded news of Flach's indictment as the "first step" toward finding peace.

The funeral for the teenager, who had an affinity for skateboarding, writing music and drawing, will be held Saturday, according to his family.

Flach, a Nassau Community College student and Long Beach High School graduate, maintains his innocence and put in a not-guilty plea at his initial arraignment in District Court following his surrender and arrest in the case last week. 

Flach's attorney, Edward Sapone, reacted to the indictment charges Thursday by saying "evidence will show" his client didn't commit a crime.

"Based on the prosecution's theory, these charges come as no surprise. We did not want the indictment delayed. We remain 100 percent confident, and at the appropriate time we will expose what really happened that day," he added.

Nassau District Attorney's Office spokesman Brendan Brosh declined to comment Thursday.

Nassau police have said the violence broke out after Morris went to a strip mall near his school knowing the ex-boyfriend of a girl he was friendly with wanted to confront him.

The victim’s family has said Morris texted the ex-boyfriend to say he wasn’t dating the girl but had walked her home from a party.

Police have said Flach and his friends, a group of six or seven, sought out Morris and charged at him and “his couple of friends” before Flach stabbed Morris once in the heart.

Others may face charges, according to police, who last week issued a public warning to teens who were involved or at the scene, telling them to come forward with their versions of events.

Flach had two other recent arrests before his arrest in the slaying, according to police. In May, police charged him with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child in what they have described as a road rage encounter in Island Park a month earlier.

He also faces a drug possession charge in Albany County from a separate September arrest, authorities said.