LI Man Who Beat Teen Acquaintance To Death Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter: SCDA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Centereach man pleaded guilty to killing a teenager in 2019, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced Friday.

John Mann IV, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection with the premeditated fatal beating of Henry Hernandez, 16, of Hempstead, the DA announced. Hernandez's skeletal remains were found in Centereach in March 2020, authorities said.

"The violent end of this young victim’s life and the way his body was disposed of shows the cold-
hearted and brutal nature of the defendant," Tierney said in a news release. "What makes this murder even more sad is that the victim Henry was only 16 years old and had his whole life ahead of him."

Hernandez's skeletal remains were found in a plastic tub on the property of Mann IV’s neighbor on March 15, 2020, officials said. His remains were wrapped in two separate plastic bags, authorities said. Examination of Hernandez's remains revealed his hands and feet were bound with duct tape, and the head and mouth were wrapped, too, prosecutors said. DNA tests determined Hernandez's identity, officials said.

Mann and Hernandez became acquaintances in March 2019, a police investigation found. A short time later, Hernandez went to Mann’s home on Jay Road in Centereach and stole his father’s truck, officials said.

On or around June 2, 2019, Mann lured Hernandez to a location known as the "Sand Pit," where he duct-taped the victim and struck him multiple times with a blunt object, authorities said. Mann placed Hernandez’s body in a hole on his property and covered it with debris, prosecutors said.

Mann later moved Hernandez’s remains into a plastic tub and placed it on his next-door neighbor's property, where it was recovered on March 15, 2020, the DA said.

Mann pleaded guilty on Friday to first-degree manslaughter (a class B violent felony) and tampering with physical evidence (a class E felony).

He is due back in court on April 19 for sentencing and is expected to be sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years’ of post-release supervision, the DA said. Mann is being represented by Matthew Rosenbloom.