Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini has announced the indictment of a Port Jefferson Station man for allegedly murdering a man on Main Street in Port Jefferson on March 24.
Joseph Garcia, 19, of Port Jefferson Station, is charged with Murder in the Second Degree, a class A felony; Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony; and Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor.
“This is a highly disturbing, tragic case,” District Attorney Sini said. “The defendant allegedly murdered the victim in broad daylight and in the middle of a busy downtown. We also retrieved video surveillance allegedly showing this individual joking about the shooting a mere 10 minutes after the murder occurred. This incident has devastated the victim’s family and the community at large, and we will do everything in our power to hold the defendant accountable.”
At approximately 3:35 p.m. on March 24, Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct officers responded to a 911 call reporting a man shot in front of 122 Main St. in Port Jefferson. Upon arrival, officers found David John Bliss, Jr., on the ground with a gunshot wound. Bliss was transported to St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson where he was pronounced dead.
Following an investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s Felony Offense Bureau and the Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad, Garcia was identified as the alleged shooter and was arrested on March 27.
The investigation included reports from several eyewitnesses as well as surveillance video allegedly showing Garcia shoot and kill Bliss before leaving the scene in a vehicle. Additional video surveillance allegedly shows Garcia arriving at a residence in Setauket approximately 10 minutes after the murder in possession of a firearm. Garcia can allegedly be heard on the video surveillance taken from the residence making admissions as to the shooting.
Garcia was arraigned on the indictment virtually today in front of Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei and was remanded without bail. He is being represented by George Duncan and is due back in court on April 21.
If convicted of the top count, Garcia faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Raphael Pearl and Assistant District Attorney Kim Carson, of the Felony Offense Bureau.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.