MASTIC MAN ARRESTED FOR MURDERING HOUSEMATE

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Philip Walker, 56, of Mastic, was arrested and charged with Murder in the Second Degree for allegedly stabbing and killing his housemate, Jimmy Vaughn, 63.

“This defendant allegedly killed Jimmy Vaughn in cold blood,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I thank the prosecutors and the Suffolk County Homicide Squad for their swift investigation and apprehension of this defendant, who will now be brought to justice.”

According to the police investigation, on June 30, 2023, at approximately 5:00 p.m., a witness called 911 to report that Walker had allegedly stabbed Vaughn inside a room at the Shirley Motel on Montauk Highway in Mastic. Walker and Vaughn were both living in a group home at the Shirley Motel at the time of the incident.

When paramedics arrived, Vaughn was found outside of the room, bleeding from the left side of his chest and abdomen. Vaughn was taken to Long Island Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Video surveillance recovered from the scene allegedly showed Walker entering and leaving from the motel room where Vaughn was stabbed.

Walker allegedly fled from the motel after the incident, but was arrested on July 2, 2023, at a family member’s home in North Amityville.

On July 3, 2023, Walker was arraigned before District Court Judge, the Honorable Bernard C. Cheng for Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A violent felony. Judge Cheng ordered Walker be remanded without bail during the pendency of the case.

Walker is due back in court on July 7, 2023, and is being represented by Eric Besso, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Dena Rizopoulos of the Homicide Bureau, with investigative assistance from Detective David Gelsomino of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad.

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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