A Central Islip man has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and a separate weapons charge in connection with the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old Bay Shore man during an attempted robbery in 2022, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Erick Garcia, 22, admitted to fatally shooting Carlos Guillen, 19, after allegedly luring him to a meeting as part of a plan to rob him. Garcia also pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for an unrelated firearm possession case.
“This was a vicious plan with an equally vicious result,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said in a statement. “The defendant’s plan to lure and rob the victim, Carlos Guillen, led to foreseeable violence. We will not tolerate violent crime like this in Suffolk County.”
According to prosecutors and Garcia’s admissions during his guilty plea, the shooting occurred on October 1, 2022. Garcia arranged to meet Guillen at a location chosen as part of the robbery plan. After Guillen arrived, Garcia entered the passenger side of the vehicle and allegedly attempted to rob him at gunpoint.
Authorities said Guillen accelerated and drove away with Garcia still inside the vehicle. During the incident, Garcia shot Guillen before jumping from the moving vehicle.
Investigators said Guillen attempted to call 911 but was unable to speak during the emergency call. After his vehicle crashed, he was transported to South Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound.
Prosecutors said cellular phone records placed Garcia near the scene of the shooting and indicated that he fled to Florida the following day in an effort to avoid arrest.
In a separate incident, Garcia was arrested in November 2022 after authorities allegedly found him carrying a loaded handgun in his waistband.
Garcia entered his guilty plea on July 7, 2026, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski. He pleaded guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter, a Class B violent felony, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony.
He is scheduled to return to court on August 6, 2026, and is expected to be sentenced to 25 years in state prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Key Facts & Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Erick Garcia, 22, of Central Islip |
| Victim | Carlos Guillen, 19, of Bay Shore |
| Incident Date | October 1, 2022 |
| Location | Suffolk County, New York |
| Primary Charges | First-Degree Manslaughter and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree |
| What Happened | Prosecutors said Garcia lured Guillen to a meeting intending to rob him. During the attempted robbery, Garcia allegedly shot Guillen after the victim drove away with Garcia still inside the vehicle. |
| Victim Outcome | Guillen crashed his vehicle after attempting to call 911 and was pronounced dead at South Shore University Hospital from a gunshot wound. |
| Evidence Cited | Prosecutors said cellular phone records placed Garcia near the scene and showed he traveled to Florida the day after the shooting. |
| Separate Weapons Case | Garcia also pleaded guilty to possessing a loaded firearm during an unrelated arrest in November 2022. |
| Guilty Plea Date | July 7, 2026 |
| Court | Suffolk County Supreme Court before Acting Justice Steven A. Pilewski |
| Expected Sentence | 25 years in state prison followed by five years of post-release supervision |
| Next Court Date | August 6, 2026 |
