Murder charges filed against 3 people in "vicious" beating death of Shirley man with household objects
Suffolk County prosecutors allege that Korey Sammarco, Melissa Fawcett and Benjamin Sheppard are responsible for the death of Christopher Martin.
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Three people have been indicted on murder and gang assault charges in connection with the death of a Shirley man who was allegedly beaten with a television, a 20-pound dumbbell, a baseball bat and a sledgehammer.
Suffolk County prosecutors allege that Korey Sammarco, Melissa Fawcett and Benjamin Sheppard are responsible for the death of Christopher Martin.
According to prosecutors, the three went to Martin's Shirley home on June 14 and entered the residence. Once inside, Sammarco allegedly kicked in Martin's locked bedroom door and struck him in the head with a sledgehammer, causing him to fall to the ground.
Prosecutors said Sammarco and Martin were friends and roommates but had been involved in ongoing disputes in the weeks leading up to the attack. Fawcett, Martin's former girlfriend, was also allegedly feuding with him following their breakup.
Prosecutors say that over the next 30 minutes, the three defendants "viciously beat" Martin with a television, dumbbell and baseball bat.
Prosecutors said they also destroyed Martin's cellphone, preventing him from calling police.
Martin was later discovered by a roommate and transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Sammarco, Fawcett and Sheppard were arraigned on an indictment charging each of them with two counts of murder and one count of gang assault.
If convicted on the top charge, each faces a potential sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
