Guilty plea in Queens funeral shooting that left Valley Stream man dead
A Valley Stream man was shot and killed just steps away from a church in Queens on April 10 after attending a funeral, the NYPD said. Credit: CBS News New York
A Queens man has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter after being charged with the shooting death of a Long Island mourner attending an April funeral in Jamaica, Queens, the Queens District Attorney's Office said in a statement Tuesday.
The April 10 shooting outside the Shekinah Youth Chapel, part of the Greater Allen AME Cathedral, left Richard Carter, 49, of Valley Stream, dead, authorities said.
Joseph Gilbert Stevens, 34, fled the scene but was arrested the following day. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Stevens pleaded guilty Thursday in connection with the shooting before Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant in Queens Supreme Court.
He is expected to receive a sentence on Aug. 14 of 24 years in prison and 5 years of post-release supervision.
Authorities did not immediately provide a possible motive for the shooting.
In the statement Tuesday, the district attorney's office said Stevens arrived at the funeral site, at the intersection of Merrick Boulevard and Sayres Avenue, riding a Citi Bike at about 2:12 p.m. on April 10. He then entered the chapel to a funeral in progress, approaching the casket before leaving.
Once outside, Stevens ran toward Carter, who was approaching the funeral chapel at about 2:17 p.m. and shot him four times before fleeing, the DA's office said. Carter was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
In a statement, Katz said: "A sorrowful day turned even more tragic when this defendant made the cruel decision to shoot a mourner outside a funeral. He has pleaded guilty and now will be sentenced to a lengthy term in prison for his actions. Our thoughts are with Richard Carter's loved one as they continue to mourn his loss."
John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.
What local police departments do to combat the problem Suffolk created a street takeover task force in 2024 that has broken up more than 100 incidents in the county.
What local police departments do to combat the problem Suffolk created a street takeover task force in 2024 that has broken up more than 100 incidents in the county.
