Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced today that Detrich Emanuel, 31, has pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree for the fatal shooting of Kristine Costantino, 40, on New Year’s Eve in 2023.
“After a minor verbal argument, this defendant shot Kristine Costantino, killing her in her own home,” said District Attorney Tierney. “While this plea cannot undo the immense pain caused to the victim’s family and loved ones, we hope it spares them from the additional trauma of a trial and keeps this defendant from hurting anyone else in the community.”
According to court documents and Emanuel's admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on December 31, 2023, at approximately 11:24 a.m., five individuals were present at Costantino's apartment in Middle Island. Following a tense verbal exchange between Emanuel and Costantino, Emanuel pulled out a firearm and shot her in the chest. He then called 911 but fled before law enforcement arrived.
When police arrived to render aid, Costantino repeatedly mentioned Emanuel's name. She was later pronounced dead at Stony Brook University Hospital. Emanuel was arrested on January 14, 2024, in the Bronx.
Emanuel had previously been convicted of Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree in Queens County in July 2018.
On August 20, 2024, Emanuel pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins. He is scheduled to return to court on October 10, 2024, where he is expected to be sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. He is represented by Matt Tuohy, Esq.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty of the Homicide Bureau with Detective James Hughes of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Homicide Squad leading the investigation.
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