A Westbury man was sentenced to 21 years to life in prison for killing a 37-year-old man in front of the victim’s Uniondale home following a fight over a woman last year.
Joel Arquimides Ayala Deras, 35, had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder at Nassau County court in November 2016.
“This calculating defendant stalked his victim for several months, waiting for the right opportunity to take his life,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said.
Prosecutors said Deras was seated in his Toyota Corolla when he shot German Ismael Saravia Melendez twice with a shotgun while the victim was victim digging a parking spot for his car in the snow on Irving Place at 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2016.
Deras drove away but returned a shortly later and shot him two more times in the back of the head, authorities said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police arrested the gunman minutes after the shooting. The murder weapon was found in his car. Deras later admitted driving past the victim’s home 30 times over the course of several months, looking for an opportunity to kill the victim, according to investigators.
