Yonkers Man, 22, Indicted on Murder Charge

A 22-year-old Yonkers man was indicted Tuesday on a second degree murder charge in connection with an April attack where he is alleged to have stabbed a man who later died.

Antonio Barnett of Woodworth Avenue in Yonkers, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with:

• one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a class “A” Felony,
• one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class “D” Felony.

According to Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore, on April 18, Yonkers Police were called to the rear gate of the Schlobohm Houses on Schroeder Street on a report that a man was at the gate with a knife attempting to stab another man.

Barnett is accused of chasing the victim, David Benitez, down the ramp leading to the apartment buildings.

Just a few minutes before, surveillance video taken at a deli located on Palisade Avenue shows Benitez exiting the deli sipping coffee, according to DiFiore.

The video shows Barnett immediately running up to the victim whereupon he plunges what appears to be a large kitchen knife into his victim’s back. The victim then runs and the defendant pursues the victim with the knife in hand to the apartment complex where he shuts the rear gate to escape the defendant who is still wielding the knife.

The police responded to the rear gate and found Benitez bleeding heavily. He was transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx and died in surgery two hours later.

Minutes later, based on witness descriptions of Barnett, other members of the Yonkers Police Department located him at a nearby gas station and placed him under arrest.

The knife was recovered on the roof of a nearby building.

Barnett was remanded to the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla.

He faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison, and his next court date will be on June 30.

Assistant District Attorney Laura Murphy of the Superior Court Trial Division is prosecuting the case.

Photo: Antonio Barnett. Photo credit: Westchester County District Attorney’s office.