Felix Martinez of Port Jefferson Station pleads not guilty to charge he killed housemate Richard Shields

A Port Jefferson Station man pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a murder charge after a grand jury indicted him for allegedly killing his housemate.

Felix Martinez, 46, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Richard Shields, 56, who was found beaten and choked in front of the house they shared on the afternoon of Aug. 4, the Suffolk County District Attorney said.

Prosecutors said Martinez attacked Shields for about 15 minutes as Shields was sitting in front of the house on Jarvin Road. Police reviewed a neighbor’s surveillance footage that showed Martinez punching Shields, choking and stomping on him and hitting him over the head with a mop bucket, prosecutors said.

Police arriving at the house arrested Martinez and took Shields to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he remained in critical condition until he died from his injuries on Aug. 9, prosecutors said.

“Richard Shields suffered brutal and deadly injuries after this defendant allegedly attacked him,” District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement.

Martinez was arraigned Tuesday morning in Riverhead court on the indictment charging him with murder in the second degree.

An initial attempted murder charge was dismissed in court Tuesday, according to court records and Martinez's defense attorney Jeremy Scileppi.

"Mr. Martinez enjoys the presumption of innocence. The issues and facts regarding the circumstances of Aug. 4 will be addressed through the court process," Scileppi said. 

Martinez was ordered to be held without bail throughout trial. He is set to return to court Sept. 22.

He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

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.