• 2026-01-07 19:44:24
• Gun Violence

LINDENHURST, NY — A Suffolk County grand jury has indicted a Lindenhurst man on an upgraded charge of first-degree murder in the

John Pilaccio, 43, was arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Wilutis in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, where he now faces one count of

Members of the Ciné family sat quietly in the courtroom behind reporters as prosecutors read aloud the details of the killing, creating what observers described as a solemn and heavy atmosphere throughout the proceeding.

Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia, of the Suffolk County District Attorney's Homicide Bureau, told the court that the indictment stems from a violent attack captured on surveillance video inside the CVS store on East Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst shortly before 7 p.m. on Christmas night.

According to Aboulafia, Pilaccio entered the store wearing a tan-colored coat and dark scarf, walked briefly through the aisles, and picked up a Gatorade before approaching Ciné, who was working behind the front counter near the cash registers.

"While armed with a knife, the defendant is observed violently lunging at Mr. Ciné Jr., stabbing him in the chest," Aboulafia said in court. "The surveillance footage further captures this defendant reaching behind the front counter and then jumping over that front counter to continue his attack on the victim."

Ciné, 23, of West Babylon, was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:33 p.m., prosecutors said. An autopsy conducted by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office later determined that Ciné suffered a chest wound approximately seven and one-eighth inches deep, piercing his rib cage, pericardial sac, pulmonary artery, and left atrium, as well as two additional sharp-force injuries to his head. The medical examiner concluded that Ciné lost approximately one-third of his total blood volume as a result of the wounds.

Following the attack, Pilaccio fled the store on foot. Suffolk County police

Aboulafia told the court that Pilaccio voluntarily accompanied detectives to the First Precinct, waived his constitutional rights, and participated in a video-recorded interview. While Pilaccio initially denied being present at the CVS, prosecutors said he later identified himself on surveillance footage and admitted to the killing when confronted with the evidence.

"The defendant also provided a motive for committing the killing," Aboulafia said. "He indicated that he simply did it for money, having previously incurred over $25,000 in credit card debt."

Prosecutors said Pilaccio admitted discarding his tan coat and scarf after the attack, both of which were later recovered by law enforcement. The knife used in the stabbing has not been recovered.

In court, defense attorney Steve Fondulis, Pilaccio's assigned counsel, requested bail for his client. Justice Wilutis denied the request, citing the severity of the charges, Pilaccio's criminal history, and the strength of the prosecution's case.

"The nature of the crimes charged herein are outstandingly heinous," Wilutis said, ordering Pilaccio remanded without bail during the pendency of the case.

Fondulis also objected to expanded media coverage inside the courtroom but did not comment on the charges following the proceeding. Pilaccio's next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 23 in Suffolk County Court.

Speaking outside the courthouse after the arraignment, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said the decision to pursue a first-degree murder charge was based on the robbery motive accused by prosecutors.

"There are specific circumstances in which, under the law, we're able to seek a murder in the first degree," Tierney said. "The circumstances in this case that would apply would be the robbery motivation, which resulted in the death."

While the case will proceed through the courts, Tierney said his focus remains on the victim. He said Ciné was working on Christmas night out of a sense of responsibility, not choice.

"I don't really want to talk about the defendant," Tierney said. "What I do want to talk about is the victim in this case. Mr. Ciné was a remarkable young man. He was working on Christmas, not because he wanted to be working on Christmas, but because that was his responsibility — to his job and to his family."

Ciné, a 2020 graduate of North Babylon High School, was remembered by family members and community members as a quiet, hardworking young man devoted to his family and faith. Family representatives said he had filled in for a shift on Christmas, stepping up to help when needed.

Tierney confirmed that surveillance video from the CVS store is a central piece of evidence in the case, but acknowledged frustration over how long it took for CVS to turn over footage to investigators.

"When we have evidence that is relevant to a crime, especially homicide, we need to do everything in our power to make sure that we get that in a timely fashion," Tierney said.

Attorneys representing the Ciné family said questions surrounding CVS's response and employee safety remain unresolved.

"The reality is that this occurred in a space where large corporations put profit over people," said Heather Palmore, counsel for the Ciné family. "That results in suffering for many families, and that has to stop."

Palmore also raised concerns about the delay in releasing surveillance footage to police.

"It also begs the question, which was posed here today, why it took so long for critical evidence to be turned over to law enforcement, who are here to assist the community exactly in times like this," she said.

Family attorney Steven Drummond said investigators and counsel intend to examine whether CVS could have done more to protect its employees.

"The question that must be answered is why it took so long," Drummond said. "We can walk into a CVS right now and can't buy a bar of soap without asking someone to unlock the product. Where's the safety and the protection for those who work there?"

When asked whether the family plans to file a civil lawsuit against CVS, Drummond said no decision has been made.

"They retained counsel to protect their interests throughout this whole process," he said. "We intend to follow the evidence any way the evidence leads to, and to hold those accountable based primarily and simply upon the evidence."

As the family prepares to lay Ciné to rest, his attorneys said they expect continued community support similar to the hundreds who attended the Dec. 29

A GoFundMe fundraiser organized by Ciné's family has

Visitation services for Ciné will be held Thursday, Jan. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Mangano Family Funeral Home in Deer Park. A burial ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 9, at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale.