Basheer Vinson, of Brooklyn, sentenced in murder of Bay Shore man, assault of another

A Brooklyn man was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison on Wednesday for the 2020 murder and attempted robbery and assault of a Bay Shore man.

Basheer Vinson, 30, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 25 years to life on murder charges and another 15 years on attempted assault charges after he fatally shot Mark Birthwright, 26, and injured a 30-year-old Bellport man at a Wyandanch house party, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

"Unfortunately, this sentence cannot change history and the fact that the loss of the victim’s life was sudden, brutal and senseless," Tierney said.

On Aug. 2, 2020, Vinson, Birthwright, and the Bellport man attended the house party on Patton Avenue in Wyandanch.

Around 2:05 a.m., Birthwright and the man were leaving the party when Birthwright dropped a large roll of cash on the ground. He picked it up and continued to walk out of the party, Tierney said.

Once outside, Vinson and a second person approached Birthwright with guns drawn and demanded the cash. A brief struggle ensued.

Vinson’s purple baseball hat was knocked off his head during the struggle and landed on the ground. He then fired a single shot into Birthwright's chest, Tierney said.

As the Bellport man ran back to help Birthwright, Vinson fired a shot at him as well, striking him in the side, prosecutors said.

Police were alerted and Vinson and the second person ran off.

Birthwright was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The Bellport man was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Vinson’s DNA was later recovered from the purple baseball cap left at the scene. Detectives then matched a partial DNA profile with Vinson from one of the spent 9 mm cartridge casings at the scene.

Suffolk County police arrested Vinson on Oct. 4, 2022.

Last September, Vinson was found guilty by a jury on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree attempted assault, first-degree attempted robbery, second-degree assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Tierney said.

Judge Timothy Mazzei on Wednesday sentenced Vinson to 40 years to life — the maximum requested sentence, Tierney said.

"This was a violent and premeditated murder and robbery," Tierney said. "We are gratified that the judge imposed the requested maximum sentence and hope the victim’s loved ones find some small degree of solace in this very well-deserved sentence."

Vinson’s attorney, John Halverson, could not be immediately reached for comment.