Sentence Handed Down In Shelter Killing

GOSHEN, NY — A Newburgh man was sentenced to 21 years to life for the stabbing death of a man inside a temporary emergency housing facility in the City of Newburgh. Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler said Wilfredo Mercado, 53, was sentenced after pleading guilty Sept. 28 to second-degree murder.

At the time he made the plea, he admitted that around 11:15 p.m. May 23, 2017 he killed Robert Munson, 61, at the Youth Advocate Program, located on Grand Street, MidHudsonNews.com said.

Hoovler said Mercado was living at the facility.

Mercado said he repeatedly stabbed Munson in the torso and bludgeoned him. Authorities said Mercado strangled Munson with his own belt.

"This defendant clearly deserves the more than two-decade long state prison sentence he will serve for this particularly violent murder of a man who worked to help those who required assistance," Hoovler said.

"Those who kill by committing senseless violent acts deserve lengthy prison sentences, whether or not they used a firearm," he said.

"The community will be far safer while this defendant remains incarcerated and I hop that 21 years from now the New York State Parole Board pays due consideration to his violent history and the sheer brutality of this crime before they consider releasing him," Hoovler.

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