Man Who Killed Nassau Gas Station Attendant Pleads Guilty to First-Degree Murder

A New Cassel man faces life in prison without parole after he pleaded guilty Wednesday to all counts for his role in the murder of a gas station attendant during a 2015 attempted robbery that was part of a six-month long Nassau County robbery spree, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said.

Joshua Golson-Orelus, 24, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, second-degree murder, nine counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree attempted robbery, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of second-degree robbery.

According to authorities, Golson-Orelus shot Hany Awad, 56, of Levittown, at the BP gas station, located at 39 Jericho Turnpike in Jericho, on Jan. 28, 2015. A customer found Awad’s body on the floor behind the counter. Awad suffered a gunshot wound to the torso and was pronounced dead at the scene.

This murder and attempted robbery was part of Golson-Orelus’ months-long string of gas station and convenience store robberies.

“This defendant terrorized gas station employees in Nassau County for more than six months and senselessly murdered Hany Awad during a stick-up robbery in Jericho,” Singas said in a statement. “Joshua Golson-Orelus’ reign of terror has ended and Nassau County is safer today with him behind bars.”

Golson-Orelus is due back in court on Monday, March 27 for sentencing and faces life in prison without parole. The trial lasted approximately one month and the jury deliberated for one day.

The location of robberies committed by Golson-Orelus include:

• Dec. 20, 1014: Citgo, located at 495 Union Turnpike in Westbury
• Jan. 8, 2015: 7-Eleven, located at 384 West John St. in Hicksville
• Jan. 12, 2015: Mobil, located at 79 Old Country Road in Westbury
• Jan. 13, 2015: 7-Eleven, located at 384 West John Street in Hicksville
• Jan. 17, 2015: Citgo, located at 495 Union Turnpike in Westbury
• Jan. 28, 2015: BP, located at 39 Jericho Turnpike in Jericho (location of homicide)
• Feb. 6, 2015: Hess, located at 800 Jericho Turnpike in Westbury
• Feb. 18, 2015: Sunoco, located at 2475 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow
• March 15, 2015: Apple Green, located at 118 Newbridge Road in Hicksville
• June 14, 2015: Citgo, located at 495 Union Ave. in Westbury

Following the June 14, 2015 robbery, where he targeted a Westbury gas station for the third time, a Nassau County Police Department officer spotted Golson-Orelus fleeing the location and recorded his license plate number. Golson-Orelus was located and arrested on Jun 17, 2015 in Utica.

Image via NCPD