Southampton Man Was Shot Dead On Christmas For Drugs: DA

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A Southampton man shot dead in his home on Christmas was killed for drugs and drug proceeds, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Thursday.

On Thursday, a second man, Dangelo Soto, 21, of Brentwood, was arrested and charged in the Christmas Day shooting death of Southampton resident Steven Byrnes, 53, in his home, police said. Previously, Dominick Parisi, 57, of Hampton Bays was arrested on Jan. 16; both men were charged with second-degree murder and two counts of first-degree burglary, Tierney said.

On Thursday after the arraignment on indictments of both men, Tierney revealed new details on the Christmas morning shooting death.

As alleged at the arraignments and in court documents, on December 25 at about 8:43 a.m., Byrnes, 53, was asleep in his bedroom inside his home on Roses Grove Road when the masked men entered the home though an attached garage with the intention of stealing cocaine and cash from Byrnes, Tierney said.

The men, who were dressed in black and wearing gloves, went straight to Byrnes’ bedroom and were heard yelling and demanding, “Where is the stuff?” Tierney said.

During the course of the home invasion, the two struck Byrnes in the head with a shotgun and as Byrnes tried to flee, he was shot in the back and killed, Tierney said. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner determined that Byrnes died as a result of a single gunshot wound and classified
the death as a homicide, Tierney said.

“As alleged, these defendants murdered Mr. Byrnes, who was known to them, for drugs and drug proceeds,” said Tierney. “This type of violence will not be tolerated and the defendants will be called to account for their callous actions.”

Suffolk County District Court Judge Karen M. Wilutis ordered both men held without bail; Parisi is due back in court on March 2, and Soto is due back in court on March 3, Tierney said.

Southampton Town Police Department officers responded to a call regarding a burglary at the residence at 8:45 a.m. Christmas morning, police said. Upon arrival, officers found Byrnes shot inside the home, police said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner, police said.