Ridge resident James Quininchetta pleads guilty to second-degree murder in killing of former girlfriend Rebecca Roth of Moriches
James Quininchetta appears in court in June. Credit: Newsday/James Carbone
A Ridge man has pleaded guilty to fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend inside her parked car over a perceived debt, Suffolk prosecutors said Friday.
James Quininchetta, 41, pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon for fatally shooting his former girlfriend Rebecca Roth, 33, of Moriches, prosecutors said.
Quininchetta killed Roth because he thought she owed him $1,500 but refused to pay him back, Suffolk prosecutors have said.
"This defendant chose to respond to a perceived financial dispute with irreversible brutality, and now he will be held accountable for his crime," said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney in a statement. "Our thoughts remain with Rebecca Roth’s loved ones who continue to live with the pain of her absence every day."
State Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei is expected to sentence Quininchetta to 23 years to life as part of his plea deal on March 11, prosecutors said.
Quininchetta's attorney did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
The killing happened on June 6 at 12:30 a.m., when Quininchetta went to Roth's apartment complex in Moriches to attempt to collect money from her, prosecutors said in court documents and the defendant admitted in his guilty plea allocution.
Quininchetta fired seven shots at Roth using a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun while she was inside her parked vehicle, hitting her multiple times in the torso, prosecutors said. Quininchetta then fled.
Roth's mother found her dead daughter six hours later, prosecutors have said.
Suffolk County Police found the handgun used in the shooting, ammunition packaging and spent shell casings in a nearby parking lot, prosecutors said.
A police K-9 also found a fanny pack containing ammunition in a nearby wooded area.
Quininchetta was arrested the next day.
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
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