Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the sentencing of Brian Cordovano, 50, from Ronkonkoma, to 30 years in prison for a double homicide that occurred in April 2022. The victims were Ian Saalfield, 45, of Lake Grove, and Robert Julian, 59, of Selden.
"Any justice obtained in this case does not allow Mr. Saalfield and Mr. Julian to see their families again, nor allow their families to say goodbye," stated District Attorney Tierney. "Justice does, however, allow us to keep a violent individual like this defendant from harming others for a long time. Today, we hope that this sentence brings some form of closure to the victims’ families and loved ones."
The case began on April 26, 2022, when Saalfield was reported missing by his wife. She informed the police that her husband was last seen with Cordovano on the previous day around 8:00 p.m., leaving their home in Saalfield's white 2015 Lexus. He did not return home after that evening.
On May 2, 2022, authorities found Saalfield’s abandoned Lexus in a Holtsville parking lot. That same day police received a call from a Ronkonkoma motel where Cordovano had overdosed. While transporting him to Stony Brook University Hospital, police connected a silver Toyota Corolla left at the motel to Cordovano through registration records showing it belonged to Robert Julian.
Upon investigating Julian's residence, police discovered both Saalfield and Julian dead inside with gunshot wounds to their heads. Investigations concluded that Cordovano committed the murders on April 25, 2022.
Cordovano faced charges including two counts of Manslaughter in the First Degree (Class B violent felonies), three counts of Robbery in the First Degree (Class B violent felonies), and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class C violent felonies).