Man Sentenced To 25 Years To Life For Murder On Reservation: DA

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A Southampton man was sentenced Monday to 25 years to life for the 2019 shooting death of a man on the Shinnecock Reservation, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said.

Michael Gaines, 44, was sentenced to 25 years to life for second-degree murder, plus 25 years each for two counts of burglary in relations to the shooting death of Mtundo Vanderpool, Tierney said.

Gaines was convicted in January following a three-week jury trial before Suffolk County Court Judge Timothy Mazzei, Tierney said. The murder and burglary sentences will run concurrently, Tierney added.

In addition, Gaines was sentenced as a prior felony offender and to five years post-release
supervision for each burglary count, Tierney said.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on August 16, 2019, five hours before the murder,
Gaines attacked Vanterpool at a gas station in Holtsville and then fled on foot, Tierney said.

Vanterpool then returned home to the Shinecock Reservation and went to sleep next to his fiancé, Tierney said. Shortly before 6 a.m., Gaines broke into the home, burst into the couple’s bedroom, and shot Vanterpool three times in the abdomen, Tierney said.

Vanterpool’s fiancé "immediately made a dramatic 911 call to police and made heroic efforts to save" Vanterpool, who died in her arms, Tierney said.

Gaines then fled the location and was apprehended two days later in Pitt County, North
Carolina, Tierney said.