Apparent Murder Victim Was Bloodied, Lying Next To Mercedes When Found In Village

By Janee Law

jlaw@longislandergroup.com

Suffolk police investigate the scene on Clinton Avenue in Huntington village where they said a man was found lying in the street early this morning next to a Mercedes with its driver’s side door open. The man was later pronounced dead. (Long Islander News photo/Jano Tantongco)

A murder investigation enveloped Huntington village early this morning after Suffolk police said a 39-year-old Bay Shore man was found lying in the street next to his Mercedes with its driver’s side door open. He was later pronounced dead.

Two pedestrians discovered the man, identified as Edwin Rivera, near Mary Carroll's pub at around 3 a.m., according to police. Suffolk homicide detectives were called to the 1 Clinton Ave. scene, and were still investigating as of 2 p.m. today.

The Huntington Community First Aid Squad brought Rivera to Huntington Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Kevin Beyrer, detective lieutenant commanding officer of the department’s homicide squad, said during interviews with the press that Rivera's face was bloodied when he was found. He said police are treating the investigation as a homicide, and police later confirmed that Rivera's death has been ruled criminal.

Beyrer said Mary Carroll's was "uninvolved" with the investigation.

Police said Rivera was found lying next to his grey Mercedes, parked southbound on Clinton Avenue, which is a one-way northbound street. The driver’s side door of the car was open when the victim was found.

Cheryl Borden, 49, who lives near the crime scene in Huntington village, was shocked when she passed by the scene.

“This is a great town,” she said. “Up in Huntington Station is bad, and they’ve been doing crackdowns. But down here in the village?”

Borden continued, “This is a walking town with a lot of families and people walking their dogs. It’s very scary.”

Police said the victim’s body was turned over to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner for an autopsy.

Beyrer said police are “very early in the investigation.”

He added, “We’re canvassing for witnesses, and we’re canvassing for video.”

The Huntington Village Business Improvement District maintains security cameras throughout Huntington village, including outside Mary Carroll’s. The BID also has cameras at the Verizon Wireless store across the street, and at LaunchPad Huntington overlooking the nearby Gerard Street parking lot.

This story is developing.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Suffolk Homicide detectives at 631-852-6392, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-220-TIPS.

A Suffolk police spokeswoman said in an email that this case is "not connected" to a second investigation being conducted by police involving a man who was found dead in Huntington Station on Sunday.

In the second case, William Sarcenolima, 33, of Huntington Station, was found partially in the roadway on West Hills Road between 7th and 8th avenues in Huntington Station at around 4 a.m., police said. The Huntington Community First Aid Squad brought Sarcenolima to Huntington Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His body was also turned over to the Suffolk Medical Examiner.

With additional reporting by Andrew Wroblewski

Editor's note: This story was updated at 2 p.m.
with additional information on the developing story; 
and again at 4 p.m. with the name of the victim. 

Correction: The security cameras detailed in this story
are maintained by the Huntington Village Business District.
An earlier version of the story mistakenly stated otherwise.