Both members of a young Long Island couple have been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison for conspiring to fatally stab a man in Suffolk County in 2021.
Jose Martinez-Vazquez, 25, got 20 years to life for stabbing Benjamin Flores-Mendez to death at an entrance 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 life for acting as a lookout, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.
“The lengthy prison terms handed down to both defendants reflect the severity of their actions and our commitment to public safety,” Tierney said in a statement. “This brutal attack on our greenway trail — a place meant for recreation and community gathering — shook our citizens to the core.”
Flores-Mendez, 39, was walking near the trail entrance in Port Jefferson Station on June 17, 2021, when Martinez-Vazquez stabbed him to death, according to authorities. He was found dead by passing citizens on the scenic trail.
Cops never publicly described any motive for the killing or whether Martinez-Vazquez and Diaz-Cabrera targeted their victim. The suspects were not arrested until nearly two years after the murder.
But authorities did not need to publicly present evidence at trial because Diaz-Cabrera pleaded guilty on April 22 to first-degree manslaughter for her role in the attack. Martinez-Vazquez pleaded guilty on July 25 to second-degree murder.
“With these sentences, we hope to restore a sense of security to our public spaces and deter future acts of violence,” Tierney said.
Flores-Mendez, Martinez-Vazquez and Diaz-Cabrera were all residents of Port Jefferson Station, about 50 miles east of Central Park.
The Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway runs about 3 miles between the two towns and is often used by bikers and hikers.
