Man Sentenced To Prison For Kidnapping, Murder In Abandoned Home

WYANDANCH, NY - A Bellport man was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison last week for kidnapping and murdering a Hempstead man before leaving his body in the basement of an abandoned house in Wyandanch in 2017, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini .

Joshua Nickens, 27, pleaded guilty on March 1 to first degree murder, two counts of second degree murder and first degree kidnapping, which are all class A felonies, the DA said.

In 2017, Nickens, working with his mother, stepfather and then-girlfriend, kidnapped 22-year-old Alan Moore, of Hempstead, because they believed Moore had stolen a PlayStation video game console from their home while living with them, the DA said.

Nickens along with two of the co-defendants, brought Moore to an abandoned property on 140 Long Island Avenue where Nickens strangled him to death, the DA said.

The group then stripped Moore of his clothing and left him in the basement of the house, the DA said.

Moore’s body was discovered by a squatter seeking shelter in the abandoned property on April 1, 2017, the DA said.

Following an investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad, Nickens was arrested on July 12, 2017.

"This was a heinous, ill-conceived act fueled by revenge," Sini said. "To brutally murder someone for suspecting that he stole a video game console is incomprehensible, and this defendant will now rightfully spend up to life in prison for this crime."

Nickens was sentenced on Thursday by Suffolk County Court Judge Stephen Braslow to 20 years to life in prison.

Nickens’ mother, 43-year-old Sunetta Dennis and stepfather, 49-year-old Larry Dennis, both of Bellport, were indicted in September 2018 for their alleged roles in the kidnapping and murder, according to the DA..

Sunetta is charged with second degree murder. Larry is charged with second degree murder and first degree kidnapping.

Nickens' then girlfriend, 26-year-old Dequanna Bates, of Bellport, was arrested along with Nickens in July 2017. She was also charged with second degree murder and first degree kidnapping.

Their cases are all ongoing.