John Pilaccio charges upgraded in killing of CVS worker Edeedson Cine Jr.

The Lindenhurst man accused of fatally stabbing a CVS worker on Christmas Day had a violent criminal past, prosecutors said at his arraignment to an upgraded murder charge in Suffolk County Criminal Court Wednesday.

John Pilaccio, 43, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Edeedson Cine Jr., 23, of West Babylon. Acting Suffolk Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis ordered Pilaccio, who previously served 8½ years in prison, held at the Suffolk County jail without bail.

Cine was working behind the counter at the CVS in Lindenhurst at around 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 25 when Pilaccio caused his death by "savagely and brutally" stabbing him in the chest and head, Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia told the court.

“Mr. Cine sustained a stab wound that was 7 ⅛ inches in depth, piercing his rib cage, his pericardial sac, his pulmonary artery and left atrium,” Aboulafia said. “Additionally, the autopsy revealed he sustained two additional sharp-force wounds to his head.”

Aboulafia said store surveillance cameras revealed to investigators that Pilaccio stabbed Cine first in the chest before jumping over the store’s front counter and continuing to stab him in the head. Pilaccio then allegedly fled the pharmacy after the deadly attack and police arrested him a short time later.

Aboulafia said Pilaccio also gave a videotaped confession to police and noted that he had $25,000 in credit card debt at the time of the attack, suggesting his intentions in the store that day.

Wilutis called the allegations "astoundingly heinous."

Aboulafia said Pilaccio was incarcerated from 2006 to 2015 for a prior robbery conviction that involved an attack on "an unsuspecting person" with a tire iron to steal $50 on Dec. 21, 2005.

Suffolk court records show he was also arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge 15 months after he was released from prison. 

Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney confirmed at a news conference following the arraignment that investigators believe Pilaccio entered the CVS store motivated to commit robbery. That intent allowed prosecutors to pursue a first-degree murder charge, which requires the additional element of a second intentional crime, the district attorney said. He declined to say what Pilaccio intended to steal but said there was no indication he was using drugs.

Tierney called Cine a "remarkably impressive young man" who was working on Christmas “not because he wanted to,” but because he made a commitment to his employer and family.

"I can only imagine what the Cine family is going through," Tierney said.

Tierney declined to say if Cine was working alone or with security guards that evening.  A CVS spokesperson told Newsday he was among several employees staffing the store that evening. 

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina described the investigation as an emotional case.

"Our hearts are all broken," the commissioner said at the news conference.

Cine was a deeply principled man who "had a way of showing up for people," his father, Edeedson Cine Sr., said at a recent vigil.

"We are grieving not only who he was, but also what he had yet to become," his father told mourners.

Cine’s parents and additional family members declined to speak with reporters following the proceeding.

Cine family attorney Heather Palmore, of Melville, said the family is dealing with "unimaginable grief" following Cine’s death.

"Eddie was a beautiful young man that had his whole life in front of him," Palmore said.

The attorney, who signaled a potential lawsuit against CVS, said the family intends to explore what happened that day and how Cine could have been better protected.

“Where’s the safety and the protection for those who work there?” Palmore said. “Those are questions we have to explore during this journey to justice.”

Palmore questioned why the store didn't immediately turn over surveillance footage to police, as Tierney indicated during his own remarks.

“It’s to the benefit of the public that such a video be released immediately,” she said.

Amy Thibault, executive vice president of communications for CVS, told Newsday in an email that CVS provided police with initial video the evening of the crime and also showed them in the store.

"Our teams worked through the night to pull and package more than 24 hours of video in the specific manner they asked for," Thibault wrote.

She said the company's thoughts are with the family of Cine, who she described as a "valued member of the store team, known for his strong work ethic." 

Family co-counsel Stephen Drummond, of Queens, stopped short of saying a lawsuit against the company is imminent.

“It’s not a matter of the family simply retained us regarding CVS,” Drummond said. “They retained counsel to protect them through the whole process and that’s what we intend and are committed to do.”

Pilaccio, who was also charged with two counts of second-degree murder, is next scheduled for a court conference Feb. 23 though he is not expected to appear in person on that date.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.