A Central Islip man was indicted for killing a 19-year-old man during an attempted robbery.
On October 1, 2022, Erick Garcia allegedly arranged to meet Carlos Guillen in a plan devised by Garcia to rob Guillen. When Guillen arrived at the meeting location, Garcia allegedly went into Guillen’s vehicle armed with a firearm and attempted to execute the robbery. Guillen then accelerated with Garcia still inside the vehicle, and Garcia allegedly then shot Guillen.
Surveillance video captured Garcia exiting Guillen’s vehicle thereafter, while it was still in motion. Guillen attempted to call 911 but was unable to speak during the call and then crashed his vehicle. He was then transported to South Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
On November 10, 2022, approximately one month after the shooting, Garcia was arrested in Central Islip on an unrelated case after police allegedly found him in possession of a nine-millimeter
gun without a serial number. Garcia was then indicted for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C violent felony, and arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court
Judge Steven A. Pilewski. Pilewski ordered Garcia to be placed on supervised release with GPS conditions during the pendency of that case, which is still pending.
Garcia is due back in court for that case on May 3, 2024. The gun allegedly recovered from Garcia during the November 2022 arrest is not believed to be connected to the homicide.
Garcia was located by the Suffolk County Police Department on April 11, 2024, and placed under arrest for homicide. On April 12, 2024, Garcia was arraigned on the new indictment before Pilewski for the following charges:
- two counts of second-degree murder, both Class A felonies
- one count of first-degree attempted robbery, a Class C violent felony
- one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C violent felony
Pilewski ordered Garcia to be remanded during the pendency of the case. Garcia is due back in court on May 31, 2024,
“Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners are relentless in their pursuit of solving homicide cases in Suffolk County,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “I would like to thank the detectives here for not giving up and making sure that no victim is overlooked.”