Marvin Yanez attacked his victim while he was sleeping in a park
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a jury found a Mineola man guilty of murder in a 2016 incident in which the defendant beat the victim to death while he slept in a park.
Marvin Yanez, 43, was convicted of Murder in the 2nd Degree (an A-1 felony). Assault in the 2nd Degree (a D felony) and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4th Degree (an A misdemeanor). The trial before Acting Supreme Court Justice Helene Gugerty lasted two weeks and the jury deliberated for 5 hours. The defendant is due back in court November 13 for sentencing and faces 15-25 years to life in prison.
“This defendant brutally beat and killed his 31-year-old victim while he was asleep in a Hempstead park,” DA Singas said. “My heart goes out to the family of Luis Estrada, and I hope that today’s conviction for this horrific crime brings them some comfort.”
DA Singas said on October 18, 2016 at approximately 7:30 PM the defendant and victim, Luis Estrada, 31, were fighting near the Laundry Palace on Clinton Avenue in Hempstead. During the fight the defendant grabbed a hammer from his white Ford pickup truck and attacked Mr. Estrada in the arm. During that fight the defendant told the victim “this war isn’t over, you started this war and I’m going to finish it.”
At approximately 11:00 PM the defendant went to Brierley Park in Hempstead where Estrada was sleeping on the ground and beat him in the head with an unknown object. Shortly thereafter, a friend of the victim began looking for him inside the park, and at approximately 11:45 PM found him bleeding from blunt force trauma injuries to his head. The victim was transported to NYU Winthrop hospital by ambulance, and later died of his injuries.
Following an investigation by the Nassau County Police Department, the defendant was arrested and charged on November 9, 2016.
Assistant District Attorney Ania Pulaski of DA Singas’ Major Offense Bureau is prosecuting the case. The defendant is represented by Jacob Weinstein, Esq.