N.Y. man pleads guilty to killing father of 3 in pool hall shooting and fleeing to Florida for years
07/25/2023 1:14 pm PDT
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. (TCD) -- A 41-year-old man pleaded guilty this week to fatally shooting a 27-year-old father of three during an argument in a pool hall in 2018.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office announced July 24 that Alejandro Vargas-Diaz of Port Jefferson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with Albert Luis Rodriguez-Lopez’s death.
On July 22, 2018, Vargas-Diaz and Rodriguez-Lopez reportedly got into an argument at a Port Jefferson pool hall when the victim "punched Vargas-Diaz in the face, knocking him to the ground."
The District Attorney’s Office said Vargas-Diaz then "ambushed" Rodriguez-Lopez in the establishment before shooting him in the back, neck, and shoulder. Rodriguez-Lopez died from his injuries at the pool hall.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Vargas-Diaz fled the state, and Suffolk County Police later found the 9 mm pistol he used on the Setauket Port Jefferson Greenway Trail hidden in a tree.
In a news release, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office announced June 18, 2021, that deputies located and arrested Vargas-Diaz in Florida with the help of the U.S. Marshals Task Force. He was charged with carrying a concealed firearm and possession of a fictitious identification card in Flagler County and booked into the Perry Hall Detention Facility.
Several months later, in November 2021, the District Attorney’s Office said Vargas-Diaz was extradited to Suffolk County for his arraignment. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 13 and faces 23 years to life in prison.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement, "For five years, the relatives and loved ones of Mr. Rodriguez-Lopez have waited for justice for this senseless murder. Today, with his admission of guilt, justice has been served."
MORE:
TRUE CRIME DAILY: THE PODCAST covers high-profile and under-the-radar cases every week. Subscribe to our YouTube page for podcasts, exclusive videos, and more, and don’t forget to follow us on TikTok.
