Haverstraw, NY – Yandie Martinez, 18, of Haverstraw, has been arraigned on charges of Murder in the Second Degree and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, following a July 1, 2024, homicide in the Village of Haverstraw, according to Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II.
The incident occurred on July 1 when Town of Haverstraw Police responded to reports of gunfire near Fairmount Avenue and West Street. Upon arrival, officers found a crashed vehicle with an individual inside who had suffered two gunshot wounds—one to the left arm and another to the left side of the chest, which proved fatal. The victim was later pronounced dead at Nyack Hospital.
Martinez was apprehended on July 27 in Piedmont, South Carolina, through a joint effort involving the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Special Investigations Team (FASIT), FBI-Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, and FBI-Columbia Division.
District Attorney Walsh emphasized that this arraignment is the first step in holding Martinez accountable. “My office is committed to seeking justice on behalf of the victim and his family,” Walsh stated, commending the investigative work by the Town of Haverstraw Police Department and other supporting agencies. Martinez is currently held at Rockland County Jail as the legal process continues.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Doreen Lloyd and Supervising Assistant District Attorney Emily McNiff.
It is important to note that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.