3 charged in strangulation death of North Amityville man
Suffolk County police officer with a K-9 conducts search a few blocks from a crime scene where a 48-year-old male was the victim of a homicide. Credit: Howard Simmons
A North Amityville man was ambushed, killed and left on the side of the road in East Farmingdale last month, Suffolk prosecutors said in court Monday after charging three people with second-degree murder in connection with his death.
Co-defendants Gustavo Hernandez, 38; Walter Ramirez-Jeronimo, 19; and Wilson Ramirez-Jeronimo, 18, who live at the same Farmingdale address, were all charged with second-degree murder when they appeared at their arraignment before Judge Evan Zuckerman in Central Islip. Suffolk police said the three men were arrested Sunday night.
Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty said in court that the three men — unsuccessful in their attempt to kidnap him — allegedly beat their housemate, Juan Carlos Diaz Geronimo, 48, "in broad daylight."
At a local BP gas station, Shetty said they allegedly bashed his head in the concrete and choked him while patrons watched in terror. They then threw the victim into the trunk of a 2004 Suzuki and eventually dumped his body by the side of the road, prosecutors said in court.
"The evidence is stacked against them," Shetty said, referencing cellphone records and interior and exterior surveillance footage from the gas station that allegedly captured the perpetrators' faces and clothing. "I cannot stress the violent nature of this crime," he said.
The two younger men are brothers, and Hernandez is their uncle, officials said. However, prosecutors said, they had no familial relation to the victim. A motive for the attack has not been revealed.
Diaz Geronimo's body was found the next morning alongside Garity Place, which straddles the Nassau-Suffolk border. An autopsy later showed numerous injuries including severe bruising, stab wounds, and chest aneurysms, said prosecutors.
The grassy patch where Diaz Geronimo was found, between a New York State sump and a car wash, showed no signs of a struggle, Newsday previously reported. Neighbors described the area as a magnet for late-night activity, especially on weekends.
Though Shetty said the brothers confessed to the crime in a recorded post-arrest interview with police, Hernandez, Walter, and Wilson all pleaded not guilty at their arraignment before they were remanded.
All three face 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
