Three people have been charged with second-degree murder and gang assault in the death of a 48-year-old man in Shirley, New York. Prosecutors say the attack was orchestrated by the victim's former girlfriend after their breakup.
Melissa Fawcett, 50, Korey Sammarco, 36, and Benjamin Sheppard, 34, were indicted weeks after Christopher Martin was beaten to death on June 14. According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, the group went to Martin's home around 7 p.m. that day, where Sammarco had been renting a room.
Sammarco allegedly kicked down the bedroom door and struck Martin with a sledgehammer. Prosecutors said the 30-minute assault continued with a television, baseball bat, dumbbells and fists. Fawcett was described in court as the mastermind who bought a gun to scare Martin and smashed his phone to prevent calls for help.
Martin was found by another resident and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead from severe facial trauma, broken ribs and internal injuries. Sammarco and Fawcett were arrested on June 15, while Sheppard was taken into custody on June 20. All three remain held without bail.
Fawcett and Sammarco are due back in court on Aug. 6, and Sheppard is scheduled to appear on Aug. 10.