District Attorney Hoovler Announces Guilty Plea in Village of Monroe Stabbing Death

April 4, 2019

During an Altercation, Defendant Stabbed Victim Multiple Times, Killing Him

Defendant to be Sentenced to 24 Years in State Prison

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Samuel Del Cid Hernandez, age 31, of Monroe, pleaded guilty before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown to Manslaughter in the First Degree, in connection with the October 2018 stabbing death of a man in a hallway outside Hernandez’s apartment. Under the terms of the plea agreement, which was placed on the record at the time he pleaded guilty, Hernandez will be sentenced to twenty-four years in state prison, and five years post-release supervision, when he is sentenced on June 6, 2019.

Prosecutors had argued that on the evening of October 12 into October 13, 2018, Hernandez and several other people, including the deceased, were drinking at Hernandez’s apartment. At some point during the evening, words were exchanged between Hernandez and the deceased, and a physical altercation occurred between the deceased and a third partygoer. The decedent then left the apartment and went into the hallway outside. Hernandez took a knife from the kitchen and followed the victim into the hallway, where he stabbed the victim multiple times, killing him. Hernandez is alleged to have later discarded the knife.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Village of Monroe Police Department and the New York State Police for their efforts in the investigation of the case.

“Unfortunately, it’s all too often that we hear of tragedies when people drink to excess, arm themselves, and injure or kill their friends during arguments,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “Weapons and alcohol are never a good combination. My deepest condolences go out to the victim’s family. I hope that this plea and the sentence this defendant will ordered to serve will bring some measure of closure to the victim’s family.”

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney David J. Byrne.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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