Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in Valley Stream machete attack

The man behind a fatal machete attack at a Valley Stream self-service laundry last March has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.

Robert Velasquez, 32, was sleeping overnight at the 24-hour facility when an argument with another man, Michael Oliver, 58, turned violent, Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a news release.

The fight on March 14, 2023, started as a verbal argument, but shortly after 2 a.m., Velasquez hit Oliver, who was sitting next to him, with a duffel bag.

Velasquez then grabbed a machete that fell out of the duffel, officials said, and swung twice at Oliver’s back before hitting him on the back of his leg.

Oliver fell to the ground, bleeding, while Velasquez gathered his belongings and left.

Nassau officials said Oliver was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where he survived emergency surgery, but suffered an infection and damage to his organs from blood loss. He was placed on life support and died 10 days later.

Officials said they expect Velasquez to be sentenced at his next court appearance on March 15.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.