DA: Hicksville Man Stabbed Gas Station Attendant to Death
Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced Wednesday that a Hicksville man has been sentenced to 22 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to stabbing a local gas station attendant to death and stealing cash and phone cards.
According to Rice, at approximately 5:30 a.m. Feb. 17, 2009, Jose Luis Turcios Banegas entered the BP Gas Station on Broadway in Hicksville and stabbed attendant Dharam Paul multiple times in the back before stealing cash and phone cards. The entire attack was caught on the store’s surveillance camera and Turcios Banegas was arrested Feb. 27. Paul, a Valley Stream resident, was working at the store to support his family in India.
On Sept. 18, Turcios Banegas, 25, pleaded guilty to murder – 1st degree; two counts of murder – 2nd degree; robbery –1st degree; and criminal possession of a weapon – 4th degree.
“This was a brutal and cold-blooded killing of an unarmed man, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that this defendant serves every last minute of his sentence,” Rice said. “I hope that today’s sentence brings some sense of closure to Mr. Paul’s family.”
Assistant District Attorney Zeena Abdi of the County Court Trial Bureau is handling the case for the District Attorney’s Office. The defendant is represented by Anthony Grandinette, Esq.
