Boy, 17, charged with murder in Hempstead man's death
Nassau police at the Maryland Avenue home in Hempstead last week where the body of a man was found in an upstairs bedroom. Credit: Jim Staubitser
Nassau County police have charged a 17-year-old Hempstead boy with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a man last week in the village after suffering a blow to the head.
The victim, identified Monday night as Adiel Umanzor-Martinez, 61, also of Hempstead, was found just before 11 a.m. on Feb. 26 “with a blunt force trauma injury to his head” at a home on Maryland Avenue, the police said in a news release.
Police had been called to the house for a report of a man not breathing. He was declared dead at the scene after he was found in an upstairs bedroom, police said.
The teenager, who was not identified, was arraigned Tuesday in youth offender court in Mineola although prosecutors said he is being tried as an adult. His father attended the hearing.
Neither details of the arraignment nor whether the boy and the alleged victim knew each other were immediately available late Tuesday.
“My hope is to understand the facts and circumstances that led to this death,” said Joseph LoPiccolo, a defense lawyer for the teenager. “I need to understand what statements were made and use the information for the defense of my client of these allegations.”
With Janon Fisher
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
