Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Uniondale man was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of a 24-year-old man during a November 2021 attempted robbery in Uniondale.
Kyle Colthirst, 20, was convicted after a trial before Judge Tammy Robbins on November 20, 2023, of Murder in the Second Degree (an A-I felony); Attempted Robbery in the First Degree (a C violent felony); and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a C violent felony).
The trial began on October 24, 2023, and the jury deliberated for three days before delivering their verdict. Colthirst was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison.
“Kyle Colthirst hatched a plan to rob Kyle Midtlyng, luring the victim to Alexander Avenue and lying in wait for him to arrive,” said DA Donnelly. “Colthirst’s set up took a deadly turn when he pulled out a loaded gun and fired, fatally striking Kyle Midtlyng. Colthirst then fled the scene, leaving his victim to die alone in the street. Today’s sentence holds this defendant accountable for his inexcusable violence and for senselessly taking another young man’s life.”
DA Donnelly said that on the night of November 10, 2021, Colthirst and three co-defendants against whom charges are currently still pending, went to 1001 Alexander Avenue in Uniondale to rob 24-year-old Kyle Midtlyng.
The three co-defendants are Tyrel Cason Jr., Tariq Pitaud, and Khamarie Elie.
It is alleged that Pitaud texted Midtlyng to set up a marijuana purchase, and Elie drove Colthirst and the co-defendants to the scene.
Cason Jr. also allegedly accompanied Colthirst to confront Midtlyng as he waited in his vehicle.
Colthirst entered the front passenger side of the victim’s vehicle and moments later shot Midtlyng once in the right side, piercing both lungs and his aorta.
Colthirst then exited the vehicle and fled down Lee Road.
Nassau County Police Department officers responded to the area after a 911 call was placed and found Midtlyng lying in the middle of the road outside of his car.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A shell casing was recovered from the passenger side floorboard of the victim’s vehicle and blood droplets were found on the sidewalk of Lee Road that matched Colthirst’s DNA.
Colthirst was also wearing an Electronic Monitoring device at the time of the murder, and GPS data placed the monitor at the scene during the time the crime was committed.
Colthirst was arrested in Suffolk County by members of the Nassau County Police Department’s Bureau of Special Operations on January 15, 2022.
Co-defendant Tariq Pitaud, 21, of West Babylon, was indicted and arraigned on April 5, 2022, on charges of Murder in the Second Degree; Attempted Robbery in the First Degree; and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. The case against him is pending.
Co-defendant Khamari Elie, 20, of Hempstead, was indicted and arraigned on November 9, 2023, on charges of Murder in the Second Degree; Attempted Robbery in the First Degree; and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. The case against him is pending.
Co-defendant Tyrel Cason Jr., 21, of South Farmingdale, was indicted and arraigned on November 27, 2023, on charges of Murder in the Second Degree; Attempted Robbery in the First Degree; and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. The case against him is pending.
The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Tracy Keeton of the Homicide Bureau. Colthirst is represented by Doug Rankin, Esq. Pitaud is represented by Greg Madey, Esq. Elie is represented by Jeffrey Groder, Esq. Cason Jr. is represented by Mitch Barnett, Esq.
The charges against Pitaud, Elie, and Cason Jr. are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.