Dix Hills Man Convicted of Manslaughter, Assault of Family Members

A 21-year-old Dix Hills man was convicted Friday of manslaughter and assault charges related to his brother’s death and mother’s assault in 2014, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

A jury deliberated for about four hours over two days before finding Charles Okonkwo, Jr. guilty of second-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault. He was acquitted of the second-degree murder charge.

On July 19, 2014, Charles Okonkwo, Sr., 62, returned from a hospital stay to find his son, Bradley Okonkwo, 15, dead and his wife, Chinwe Okonkwo, 52, unconscious inside their Norman Court home.

Bradley Okonkwo was pronounced dead at the scene while Chinwe Okonkwo, a physician, was airlifted to Stony Brook University with serious head injuries.

Suffolk County Police later arrested Charles Okonkwo, Jr., who was 18 years old at the time, not far from his home in the family car, the DA says.

Charles Okonkwo, Jr. faces up to 15 years in prison for the manslaughter conviction and up to 25 years for the assault conviction, the DA says. He will be sentenced on Friday, Sept. 16.

Image via SCPD