Retired Beacon Cop Who Killed Roommate Does Not Appear In Court For 2nd Hearing - Attorney Cites Ongoing Mental Health Evaluation

The second hearing for Eddie Irizarry, the 52-year old retired Beacon Police Officer who called 911 to say that he shot his roommate, Casey Cuddy, after he said that Casey pointed a shotgun at him, but not before posting to his Facebook "You guys got me if I shoot a Petti file," was adjourned today, Wednesday, September 24th. No evidence of a shotgun found at the scene has yet been presented to the public.

After his first appearance during his arraignment on August 5, 2025, where he pleaded Not Guilty to Second Degree Murder, A Little Beacon Blog has learned from a source familiar with the situation that Eddie had allegedly been placed on constant supervision for mental health watch upon entry to the jail.

For today's court appearance, Eddie was not in attendance. The Defense and Prosecuting Attorneys came before the Honorable Judge Jessica Segal to confirm that Eddie was meeting with an expert to evaluate his medical and mental health condition. The Prosecuting Attorney had no response to this, and the Judge proceeded to advise that the Defense's client was still in the process of being evaluated, and would proceed with the process on a doctor's evaluation.

The next court appearance is set for October 22, 2025. The date of November 12th was set for a Reply, and December 10th the Decision. Judge Segal stated that the client Eddie would “need to be produced” on that day, December 10th for the next hearing.

No Bail was set for Eddie during his first hearing, as the Prosecuting Attorney deemed him a flight risk, and Judge Segal agreed.

Eddie had served as a Beacon Police Officer for 17 years before retiring in 2021. He had relocated to North Carolina, and had recently moved back to Beacon. More details in this article.

Retired Beacon Cop Pleads "Not Guilty" To Murdering Roommate; Hinted At Killing Prior; What Friends and Neighbors Are Saying

Public Facebook profiles for Eddie Irizarry (top) and Casey Cuddy (Bottom).

Retired Beacon Police Officer, Edison "Eddie" Irizarry (age 52), pleaded Not Guilty in Beacon City Court to all 3 charges against him in the killing of his roommate Casey Cuddy (age 58): Murder in the Second Degree; Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree; and Criminal Possession of a Firearm.

According to Beacon City Court, Eddie entered his plea the day after his arrest on Tuesday, July 22nd. He was scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing, but the case has been transferred to August 5th in Dutchess County Supreme Court 10 Market, Poughkeepsie, NY at 9:30am, as confirmed by the Clerks Office in that court. This date has been published elsewhere as a different date, but as of today, is August 5th. ALBB will continue to monitor for future court re-schedulings.

City of Beacon Police were the first to detain Eddie at the apartment he shared with his new roommate, Casey Cuddy. According to several witnesses, Eddie was detained calmly and without resistance. The investigation was handed over to New York State Police “in order to maintain the highest integrity,” explained Beacon Police Chief Tom Figlia in a press release the day after the incident, since Eddie had served with the Beacon Police for 17 years before retiring in 2021.

About The Day Of The Crime

On Monday evening (July 21, 2025) at 9:02pm, City of Beacon Police responded to a 911 call to the residence of 86 Rombout Avenue from Edison “Eddie” Irizarry, that he had shot his roommate, Casey Cuddy. When Eddie called 911, reported Mid-Hudson News, he told the dispatch that “Cuddy had threatened him with a shotgun, and Irizarry claimed to have fired three rounds at Cuddy.” Eddie and Casey lived on the first floor of the two-family house, and another group of people lived on the second floor.

Screenshot of social media post allegedly made by Edison “Eddie” Irizarry, who goes by “Izzy Zarry” in his Facebook account, published less than an hour before Casey Cuddy was allegedly shot by Eddie, according to local community members and Mid-Hudson News. Multiple “friends” have since Unfriended Eddie’s account. Sixteen remain as “followers.”

Mid-Hudson News reported the following day: “Less than an hour before Irizarry is believed to have shot Cuddy, he made a cryptic post on his Facebook page [which goes by Izzy Zarry] that said, ‘You guys got me if I kill a Petti file.’ A source close to the investigation told Mid-Hudson News that Irizarry and Cuddy had been arguing after Irizarry accused the victim of being a pedophile.”

A source close to the situation told A Little Beacon Blog that Eddie had been seen speaking with another male earlier that Monday around the corner from Casey's home on the northeast corner of Rombout and Cliff Streets. “That morning,” a neighbor told ALBB, “it appeared that Eddie was confiding in the other male out on the sidewalk. I could hear their voices pretty clearly. Something was going on with Eddie at that point. Why so angry, I don’t know. I don’t know who the other guy was. He didn’t seem from around here.”

The Times Union reported that Casey had been seen out riding his bike only two hours before he was shot. The newspaper reported: “Neighbors described the victim as an easygoing nurse practitioner who liked to pet the neighborhood dogs. Joanna Neville was walking at Dennings Point Park in Beacon around 7pm Monday when she heard a bicycle on the gravel behind her. She turned and saw a familiar face: Casey Cuddy, a neighbor with whom she’d become friendly since adopting a dog last year,” the Times Union reported.

“Casey was also knowledgeable about attachment theory and attuned to trauma. He was sensitive about potentially upsetting topics and knew when to push and when to back off. More than anything, he was kind and thoughtful and I am beside myself that he is gone.”

— Local Mother Whose Child Was In Casey Cuddy's Care

Joanna told the newspaper: “[Casey] was in a good mood.” The newspaper expanded to report that “she was shocked to learn he’d been shot a few hours after their encounter. ‘He was a nice guy, It’s terrible,’” Joanna said.

Details of Eddie Irizarry’s Arrest

When the Beacon Police arrived on the scene Monday evening, they realized that they knew Eddie. Several neighbors describe how the Beacon Police put him into handcuffs and detained him in a Beacon police vehicle. One neighbor described the Beacon Police’s handling of Eddie as “gentle", and the neighbors across the street, Tony Ruperto and Brian Garritano, described to the Times Union: “He wasn’t resisting,” Tom told the newspaper. “He was very calm.”

Being that Eddie used to serve on the force, the Beacon Police then turned the entire investigation over to the New York State Police, “to maintain the highest integrity,” the press release said from Beacon Police Chief Tom Figlia.

Neither press release from the Beacon Police or the New York State Police mentioned the shotgun when they detailed the nature of the shooting. The New York State Police press release stated that Eddie shot Casey. It has not been stated if a shotgun was found at the residence, or if the gun used in the shooting was permitted by Eddie.

Sources told Mid-Hudson News that since his arrest, Eddie has “recanted portions of his statement before being charged with the felonies of murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a firearm.”

According to the New York State Police’s press release, Eddie’s preliminary hearing in City of Beacon Court was scheduled for July 25, 2025, at 10:00am. However, that has since been re-scheduled. He was remanded to Dutchess County Jail and held without bail.

Regarding the Pedo Accusation

When the killing reached Beacon’s Facebook community, some people defended the killing as an elimination of a sex offender, without demanding to see proof. These people implied that executing someone at whim was acceptable.

Neighbors of Casey on Rombout Avenue rushed to defend the dead man. Casey, whose full name is Wilbur Casey Cuddy, is not listed in New York State’s public sex offender registry, and was a licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner. This license would be an additional level of background checking.

It is unknown at this time if any individuals in Eddie’s friend circle responded to his social media post with encouragement of him to execute his plan. Some Beacon locals, including some who have moved away but keep up with Beacon news, have been known to use aggressive language in comments, including curse words and threats to safety.

Background on Edison “Eddie” Irizarry

Numerous friends of Eddie in Beacon have expressed being shocked, confused and sad. Friends say that he loves to fish, and is a calm person Otherwise, as of now, people who know Eddie who live in Beacon do not want to go on record with what they know about his character or life. Multiple Facebook “Friends” of Eddie’s account have since unfriended him. Sixteen “Followers” remain.

Eddie’s Facebook page, which goes by “Izzy Zarry,” states that he lives in “Never Never.”

His LinkedIn account says he lives in Jacksonville, NC. Public pictures on his Facebook account show scenes of him on a beach with surf. Unconfirmed is why he returned to Beacon after locating to NC, and if his time in Beacon was temporary. .

Numerous neighbors of Casey told ALBB that Eddie moved in to Casey’s residence in or about April 2025, and that they had not usually seen roommates at Casey’s apartment. The Highlands Current reported that Casey took out a classified ad for a roommate years ago in November 2022. Otherwise, neighbors say they saw Casey frequently as a communicative person out and about, who enjoyed his cats.

Background on Casey Cuddy

Wilbur K. Casey Cuddy, PMHNP-C was a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, according to his website and HealthCare4PPL.com. His website says he specialized in the treatment of trauma, “whether complex/developmental or chronic/single episode;” and that he “diagnosed and treated most other psychiatric disorders (except ADD/ADHD).” He earned Engineering Science and Nursing Bachelor's Degrees, and an MBA and Nursing Master's Degrees. He graduated from the University of California, San Francisco, with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), according to Psychology Today.

Since 2015, he “worked as a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-C) with small rural services, with medium & large county agencies, and now with private & group telehealth practices,” he said on his website. “All settings have involved the treatment of diverse populations with moderate-to-severe mental illnesses.”

One local mother told A Little Beacon Blog that her child was in the care of Casey Cuddy, and was shocked to learn of his death. She said he specialized in talk-therapy with her child.

“Something I found so profound was his respect for single mothers,” she told ALBB. “He mentioned that his mom was a single mother and he took the time to acknowledge the hard work I was putting in. That means something in this patriarchal society. It meant a lot to me. Casey was kind to my child, direct and blunt, but in a developmentally appropriate way. He called on my child to take some responsibility for my child’s own path. Casey was also knowledgeable about attachment theory and attuned to trauma. He was sensitive about potentially upsetting topics and knew when to push and when to back off. More than anything, he was kind and thoughtful and I am beside myself that he is gone.”

Neighbors told ALBB that Casey lived at 86 Rombout Avenue with his cats for a number of years, and that he was outgoing and talkative. He drove a white van and carried a protest poster, “Boycott Everything.”

The neighbors who lived across the street, Tony Ruperto and Brian Garritano, told the Times Union that “they didn’t know the alleged shooter, who they believed had moved in just two months ago, but were friendly with Cuddy, who they said had lived in the building since before they moved in two years ago.” The pair did see police “swarm the first floor apartment” after the 911 call. The next day, at 10am, Tony and Brian did see police remove a body bag from the apartment, they told the newspaper.

In a client review left on August 28, 2018 on Casey’s website, a patient wrote about him: "In the time frame of 3-4 months, Casey Cuddy has been one of the reasons that I am alive today. He helped me work through so many of the problems I refused to face. When I attempted suicide, he called me before I could call him to make sure I was doing okay. It makes me sad that he's moving back to the East Coast and actually made me tear up a bit. I hope he knows how much he truly helped me find my confidence and self-worth, and he helped me realize how much I actually sacrifice for those I love. He's been a positive impact on my life."

According to a theater program found by the Highlands Current from when Casey was an actor performing in a play at the County Players theater in Wappingers Falls, Casey was from the Finger Lakes region, which is in New York State. The newspaper reported that Casey “moved to the Hudson Valley in September 2022 after living in Los Angeles and Oregon. In November 2022, Cuddy placed a classified ad in The Current seeking a roommate to share his first-floor Beacon apartment.”

It is unknown at this time if Casey continued to take roommates, or if this was a new occasion. One of his client’s told ALBB that he rented an office on Rte. 52, but had left the office and was doing telehealth only.

Casey indicated on his Facebook page that he kept a Facebook profile to list on Facebook Marketplace.

Readers Have Responded to This News With Statements LIke:
“Beacon Has Changed!” or “These NYC People Moving To Beacon Are Changing Things!”

This was situation involving people who lived in the area for a long time. Additionally, the older version of the Beacon Police have a documented history of police brutality which resulted in the federal investigation by the Department of Justice of the Beacon Police force. The department entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice in December 2010 to “reform its policies and practices.”

Eddie served on the Beacon Police force in Beacon for 17 years, retiring in 2021, which puts his starting date near 2004. This is within Beacon’s era of when the Police Department was accused of police brutality, racial profiling and nepotism, as thoroughly covered by the Beacon Dispatch in 2006, one of Beacon’s original blogs.

Eddie doesn’t seem to have public lawsuits against him, as other officers from that time do, such as Richard Sassi Jr., the son of the Police Chief of the same name at the time. The son, Detective Sassi Jr., was found in his boxer shorts in his female informant’s closet after making advances on her until her boyfriend came over, to which Sassi made a false call of burglary to 911, for which he was charged.

As for Eddie, when he was a patrolman in 2014, he was ordered to fill in for 2 Beacon detectives who were suspended, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal. While the Police Chief at the time declined to comment on the circumstances of the suspensions, the article reported that the two detectives “were married but divorce paperwork was filed in 2012, according to a document filed with the Dutchess County Clerk's Office.”

Murder on Rombout Avenue - Retired Beacon Police Officer Charged With Murdering His Roommate

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. As details emerge, they are updated here in the sequence of how they were released.

On Monday evening at approximately 9pm at the home of 86 Rombout Avenue, a 911 caller believed to be Edison “Eddie” Irizarry, who is a 52 year-old a retired City of Beacon Police Officer who was a new roommate to Casey Cuddy, age 58 (aka Wilbur Cuddy), “had threatened him with a shotgun, and Irizarry claimed to have fired three rounds at Cuddy,” according to reporting from MidHudson News. Casey Cuddy did not survive.

According to the City of Beacon Police Department’s Press Release the following Tuesday morning, “the City of Beacon Police Department received a call from an individual reporting that he had shot his roommate on Rombout Ave. Upon arrival it was determined that one of the individuals involved was a retired Beacon Police Officer. That individual was immediately detained and, in order to maintain the highest integrity, the entire investigation was turned over to the New York State Police.” The Press Release was published to Facebook, and Comments turned off.

From the Beacon Police Press Release, it was not clear where Eddie was initially detained to. A witness of the detainment confirmed to ALBB that Eddie was handcuffed and “gently put into” a Beacon Police vehicle without incident on Monday night. New York State Police arrived to the scene shortly after, ALBB was told by a witness of the detainment.

MidHudson News reported that Eddie was arrested the following Tuesday morning. “He was arraigned before Beacon City Court Judge Rebecca Mensch and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail,” MidHudson News reported. Times Union reported that Eddie was booked on Tuesday, as confirmed by booking records, and held without bail.

Beacon Police Chief Tom Figlia continued: “In order to maintain the highest integrity, the entire investigation was turned over to the New York State Police. The City of Beacon Police Department is cooperating and will continue to cooperate, fully and completely with the State Police Investigation. Since it is a State Police Investigation, the City of Beacon Police Department cannot release any further details and all additional requests for information should be made to New York State Police.”

As of Tuesday evening, New York State Police confirmed that the caller was Eddie: “On July 21, 2025, at approximately 9:02 p.m., the City of Beacon Police Department responded to a private residence on Rombout Avenue following a 911 call placed by Edison Irizarry, 52, of Beacon, NY, who stated he had shot his roommate. Upon arrival, officers located 58-year-old Casey Cuddy also of Beacon, NY, deceased inside the residence from an apparent gunshot wound.”

According to community members, Casey and Eddie were roommates in the house beginning April 2025. ALBB has received confirmation from multiple local sources that this house was divided into 2 apartments, where Casey lived in one unit, and another group of people lived in the other unit. It was only recently that Eddie moved in as roommate to Casey, who also goes by “Cuddy” to neighbors.

By Tuesday evening, Casey’s white passenger van, which has a poster perched in the passenger seat that reads “Boycott,” remained parked in the driveway with yellow caution tape around the perimeter of the house. Parked next to the van that Tuesday evening was a New York State trooper car with an officer inside.

An investigator looks at the sign in the van of Casey Cuddy, who was killed by his roommate, Eddie Irizarry. The poster read: “Boycott Everything.”

Sean Breault, who witnessed the arrest of Eddie, told ALBB: “The poster in Cuddy’s van read ‘Boycott Everything.’ He was active in protests. I watched the detective go through his van and I have an image of the sign. Cuddy was into boating and biking here in Beacon and was never anything but kind. Deescalation did not seem to be a tactic this retired officer was willing to use.”

That Tuesday evening at dusk, people in the community drove and walked slowly past the house, which is located in a residential area around the corner from South Avenue Elementary School. Community members say that Casey could often be seen outside in his yard and was a communicative person with his neighbors.

By Tuesday evening, the Beacon Police issued another statement when sharing an update made by New York State Police. The Beacon Police Department wrote: “We share this as part of our obligation to keep the public informed but we also take seriously our obligation not to release any information which may hinder their [New York State Police’s] investigation. As such, we will continue to direct all requests for information to the State Police. We also thank them for their hard work in this investigation and would like the thank the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance last night as well. Importantly, we extend our deepest condolences to those impacted by this incident.”

New York State Police confirmed on Tuesday evening the charges against Eddie:

• Murder in the Second Degree (Class A -1 Felony)

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class C felony)

• Criminal Possession of a Firearm (Class E Felony)

New York State Police confirmed that a preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.

The Highlands Current reported that Eddie retired from the Beacon Police Force in July 2021, and was recognized in a photo by the Beacon Police Benevolent Association (PBA) union. The PBA said at that time: “The PBA would like to congratulate Officer Edison Irizarry on his recent retirement from the Beacon Police Department. Officer Irizarry served the City of Beacon for 17 years, and prior to that served his country as a United States Marine. Officer Irizarry held many roles during his time with the Beacon Police, including a Field Training Officer and Detective. Best of luck in retirement and your future endeavors.”

Third Suspect Arrested By Beacon Police For Murder Of Lionel Pittman In Forrestal Heights

Chief Thomas Figlia of the Beacon Police Department issued a press release announcing the arrest of the third suspect in the murder of Lionel Pittman in the Forrestal Heights apartment community near the Beacon Recreation Center. He concluded: "At this time all three individuals who were present at and participated in the murder of Mr. Pittman have been arrested."

On November 21, 2024, Beacon Police arrested Zyree Downing, age 24 of Middletown, DE for the murder of Lionel Pittman. Zyree was charged with Murder in the First Degree. According to the press release, Zyree is an inmate in a Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution, where he was transported from that facility to Beacon by the Beacon Police Department to be processed on his charges. Once processed, he was transported to the Dutchess County Jail.

"This arrest, together with the June 11th arrest of Naije Perrette and the September 5th arrest of Khyree Pratt, represents yet another facet in the culmination of years of diligence work by members of the Beacon Police Department, the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office, and other assisting agencies," Chief Figlia stated.

Chief Figlia then thanked other law enforcement agencies that assisted in the investigation leading to the arrests, including the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office, Medical Examiner's Office, Drug Task Force, Sheriff's Office, the New York State Police, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the City of Philadelphia (PA) Police Department, the Marple Township (PA) Police Department, the Delaware County (PA) District Attorney's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, NY/NJ HIDTA, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Naije Perrette on June 11, 2024 was charged with Second Degree murder, and arrested during a traffic stop in Beacon on Fishkill Avenue.

Khyree Pratt on September 5, 2024 was charged with Murder in the First Degree, and was already incarcerated out of state.

Second Murder Suspect Arrested By Beacon Police For Murder Of Lionel Pittman In Forrestal Heights

On September 5, 2024, Beacon Police arrested Khyree Pratt, age 23 of Philadelphia, PA for the murder of Lionel Pittman in the Forrestal Heights apartment community near West Center Street (near the Beacon Recreation Center), on May 14, 2022, according to a press release issued by the Chief Thomas Figlia of the Beacon Police Department.

"Khyree is currently an inmate in a Federal Correction Institution out of state," according to the press release. He was transported to Beacon, NY on September 5th by the Beacon Police Department, "where he was processed on charges of Murder in the First Degree, and then transported to the Dutchess County Jail."

This is the second arrest in Lionel's murder. The first arrest was of Naije Perrette on June 11, 2024, who was charged with Second Degree murder, and arrested during a traffic stop in Beacon on Fishkill Avenue.

Said Chief Figlia in the press release regarding Khyree: [This arrest] represents yet another facet in the culmination of years of diligent work by members of the Beacon Police Department, the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office and other assisting agencies."

Chief Figlia sated that there are other elements of the investigation that are still ongoing, so no further information is being released at this time.

According to Patch.com, Khyree was arrested in June 2022 in Marple Township in Pennsylvania after Maple Township Police said that he led them on a chase on June 4, 2022. The media outlet reported: “According to police and court records, Khyree Hyneif Pratt, 21, of Philadelphia, has been charged with firearm crimes, fleeing or attempting to eluding police, drug possession, and other crimes.”

Police Arrest Suspect In Murder Of Lionell Pittman at Forrestal Heights From 2022

On a spring Saturday evening on May 14, 2022 at 6:50pm, shots rang out from the parking lot at Forrestal Heights, next to the Beacon Recreation Center on West Center Street. Lionell Pittman age 32, who reportedly had a brother who lived at Forrestal Heights, was outside and was fatally shot, as reported by ALBB at the time.

Lionell’s murder was one of at least 3 in Beacon that have remained unsolved: Rene “Scout” Vivo, who was stabbed while walking down Main Street to get to his home at Forrestal Heights on Christmas Day in 2021, and a murder at South Davies Terrace apartment complex, where a 25 year old man was visiting from New York and was shot and killed.

According to a press release from the police, a suspect named Naije Perrette, 24, of Beacon was arrested at a traffic stop on Fishkill Avenue. He was charged with second-degree murder, arraigned in City Court and taken to the Dutchess County Jail.

The police credited the Dutchess County Drug Task Force with assistance on the arrest, and for the investigation conducted by Dutchess County District Attorney’s office. Because of the ongoing investigation, police said they would not release further information.

A Google search shows that a person named Naije Perrette of the same age has been arrested other times in Beacon:

• “Beacon teen charged for allegedly fleeing police in stolen vehicle” In 2015, this Naije was allegedly “driving erratically at high speeds with headlights off on Matteawan Road in Beacon. As the Beacon police officer initiated the traffic stop, the vehicle sped up and attempted to flee toward Matteawan Road and Prospect Street. The vehicle crashed about a half-mile from where it was originally spotted, and the driver fled towards the woods behind the Fishkill Correctional Facility, police said. Police apprehended Perrette later at Red Schoolhouse Road in Fishkill.” Reportedly the vehicle had been stolen from a Beacon address days before the incident.

• “Three men accused of robbing, pushing woman out moving vehicle: police” In 2019, this Naije and Julian Rivera were arrested after a reported robbery in the area of Liberty Street and Bridge Street. Police said they canvased the area after “three men robbed and pushed a woman out a moving vehicle on Friday morning around 4:45 a.m.,” according to the City of Beacon Police Department. Police say officers responded to the area of Liberty Street and Bridge Street for a reported robbery. After canvassing the area, police brought Naije Perette and Julian Rivera into custody.

• “Beacon residents arrested in Putnam County after violent domestic dispute.” In 2023, Naije Perette was arrested after his girlfriend Jaznia McCrae followed him after she learned that he took his new girlfriend to a Nets game, as reported by MidHudsonNews. The two got into a fight, damaged each others cars, and were both arrested.

Resident’s Brother Was Shot & Killed At Forrestal Heights Beacon Housing Authority

The parking lot off West Center Street in the Beacon Housing Authority’s Forrestal Heights apartment complex. This is the second parking lot, around the bend from the first, where people familiar with the shooting say it happened.

The first parking lot off West Center Street in the Beacon Housing Authority’s Forrestal Heights apartment complex.

According to neighbors and the Beacon Police, a man named Lionell Pittman, age 32, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Forrestal Heights affordable housing apartment community on West Center Street, which is managed by Beacon Housing Authority, on early Saturday evening while people were coming home from busy Saturday days of kids sports, shopping, day tripping, and returning from work.

According to their press release from Detective Jason Johnson, the Beacon Police got a call for shots fired at 6:50pm. The Beacon Detective Division is asking anyone with information to contact the City of Beacon Police Department at 845-831-4111 with any tips.

According to people who heard the shots, commotion could be heard from the second parking lot around the bend from the first parking lot on West Center Street. The parking lot and the apartment units are located next door to the Beacon Recreation Center and across the street and next door to houses owned by homeowners.

According to those who heard the shots, there was a motorcycle driving around which popped off its exhaust, and sounded like gunshots, which apparently is a common sound in that neighborhood, and is definitely a common sound on Main Street and other side streets around Beacon.

Moments or seconds later, a second series of shots were heard that occurred in a period of one or two seconds. These were the gunshots that killed Lionell. According to one person, 18 shots were released in 1 or 2 seconds. Three of these shots allegedly landed in Lionell, one allegedly to his head and two in his chest. Another person reported hearing 7 shots in 1 second.

According to reporting by Bill Beale for K104.7 and Midhudson News, Lionell received CPR in the ambulance while being taken to the hospital but did not survive the gunshot wounds.

According to someone who spoke to a resident, Lionell was a brother of someone who lives in the apartment units. They felt like the shooting was a targeted event. A Little Beacon Blog is seeking confirmation on if Lionell lived there, and if a funeral will be announced for him.

At that time of the shooting, the sun was still shining and residents were pulling in and out of the parking lot. After the shots, residents apparently came out of their apartments, visibly distraught. At a later time, Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou was seen by some to be walking to houses located on the opposite side of the street to reassure homeowners that everything was safe, and that Beacon Police were investigating the crime. The suspect remains at large.

It is not known if Mayor Kyriacou went into the Forrestal Heights community where the murder occurred to visit with residents in apartments to relay the same message. A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Mayor Kyriacou and City Administrator Chris White for comment, but has not received a reply by the time of this publishing. Administrator Chris insists that all inquiries from A Little Beacon Blog for all department heads and staff go through him. Should a response come, this article will be updated.

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to the Beacon Housing Authority’s ross coordinator, Noah Hargett, to confirm the location of the parking lot, the residential status of Lionell, and how is family is coping. Should we get a response, this article will be updated. ALBB has also reached out to the Beacon Police to confirm the parking lot location, and will update here should a response come in.

According to people familiar with the area, no news reporters have visited the scene to learn more information, which surprised them. This report showing a picture of a different parking lot is totally incorrect. Different affordable housing apartment complex.

The Christmas Day murder of Rene “Scout” Vivo, who also lived in the Forrestal Heights apartment units, remains unsolved. Rene was stabbed on Main Street, and died while walking in the direction of his home at Forrestal Heights.