Long Island couple get lengthy prison terms for 2021 fatal stabbing on greenway trail

Both members of a young Long Island mates person been sentenced to astatine slightest 15 years successful prison for conspiring to fatally stab a antheral successful Suffolk County successful 2021.

Jose Martinez-Vazquez, 25, got 20 years to beingness for stabbing Benjamin Flores-Mendez to decease astatine an entranceway to the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail, prosecutors announced Monday.

His girlfriend, 21-year-old Tiffany Diaz-Cabrera, was sentenced to 15 years to beingness for acting arsenic a lookout, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.

“The lengthy situation presumption handed down to some defendants bespeak the severity of their actions and our committedness to nationalist safety,” Tierney said successful a statement. “This brutal onslaught connected our greenway way — a spot meant for recreation and assemblage gathering — shook our citizens to the core.”

Flores-Mendez, 39, was walking adjacent the way entranceway successful Port Jefferson Station connected June 17, 2021, erstwhile Martinez-Vazquez stabbed him to death, according to authorities. He was recovered dormant by passing citizens connected the scenic trail.

Cops ne'er publically described immoderate motive for the sidesplitting oregon whether Martinez-Vazquez and Diaz-Cabrera targeted their victim. The suspects were not arrested until astir 2 years aft the murder.

But authorities did not request to publically contiguous grounds astatine proceedings due to the fact that Diaz-Cabrera pleaded blameworthy connected April 22 to first-degree manslaughter for her relation successful the attack. Martinez-Vazquez pleaded blameworthy connected July 25 to second-degree murder.

“With these sentences, we anticipation to reconstruct a consciousness of information to our nationalist spaces and deter aboriginal acts of violence,” Tierney said.

Flores-Mendez, Martinez-Vazquez and Diaz-Cabrera were each residents of Port Jefferson Station, astir 50 miles eastbound of Central Park.

The Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway runs astir 3 miles betwixt the 2 towns and is often utilized by bikers and hikers.