Overview
- Edeedson Cine, 23, was stabbed in the chest while working behind the counter at the Lindenhurst CVS around 6:50 p.m. on Dec. 25 and was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip.
- Police said witness accounts and exterior surveillance video helped identify a person of interest, leading to the arrest of John Pilaccio, 43, who pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.
- Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said the case will be presented to a grand jury within 144 hours and referenced alleged oral admissions in a bail application.
- Investigators have not established a motive, and authorities have not said whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
- Suffolk’s police commissioner criticized CVS for a delay in releasing internal video before the company provided it, as the community built a memorial, a GoFundMe grew, and the store added round-the-clock private security, according to local reports.