Dix Hills Resident Found Guilty Of Killing Girlfriend

Eric Bermudez Photo/Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

A Dix Hills man was convicted by a jury Friday of second-degree murder for shooting and killing his girlfriend on April 13, 2017. His lawyer said he plans to appeal the verdict.

Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini announced the verdict, stating that it was reached after a nearly-three week trial in Riverhead. Bermudez, 37, had pleaded not guilty.

Along with the murder charge, Bermudez was found guilty of four counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Prosecutors said Bermudez shot his girlfriend, 37-year-old Regina Flecha, of Dix Hills, in the street blocks away from their Black Pine Court home.

Assistant District Attorney Laura Newcombe, of the DA’s Homicide Bureau, prosecuted the case with ADA Kim Carson, of the DA’s Major Crime Bureau.

Newcombe and Carson told members of the jury that Bermudez and Flecha had a dispute at their home before Flecha left the house and walked east towards Burroughs Avenue. Bermudez followed Flecha onto Burroughs Avenue in his car at around 7:30 p.m. and fire 10 shots, striking Flecha eight times, according to prosecutors.

Bermudez then pulled Flecha into his vehicle.

After driving for 20 minutes, a pair of Suffolk Police Third Squad detectives pulled Bermudez over for speeding on Fifth Avenue in Bay Shore and found Flecha, still alive, in the front passenger seat, according to prosecutors.

Bay Shore-Brightwaters Rescue Ambulance personnel brought Flecha to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore where she died a short time later.

Detectives said they recovered the murder weapon, two additional guns and a silencer from the trunk of Bermudez’ car after a search, according to prosecutors.

Bermudez’ Huntington-based attorney John LoTurco said in a statement Tuesday that although he and his client respect the jury’s verdict, Bermudez was deeply disappointed with the outcome, as he had “proffered a justification defense.”

LoTurco said Bermudez testified that Flecha had fired the first shot during the confrontation “with her 357 Ruger,” and that Bermudez “only discharged his weapon in self-defense and self-preservation of deadly physical force.”

LoTurco continued, “Even if the jury rejected Mr. Bermudez’ self-defense claim, it was our hope that he would not be convicted of the intentional murder, but rather Manslaughter in the second degree based upon his recklessness rather than his intentional state of mind. We felt that his lack of intent to commit the murder was clearly demonstrated by immediately attempting to transport the victim to Southside Hospital to receive medical attention.”

LoTurco said he and his client will continue to litigate the matter, and that he intends to file a notice of appeal on Bermudez’ behalf.

Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini praised the work of Newcombe and Carson for securing a guilty verdict.

“While nothing can ease the suffering caused by the defendant, we hope this conviction provides some solace to the victim’s family in knowing that their loved one’s murderer will be held accountable for his actions,” Sini said.

Bermudez is scheduled to be sentenced by Suffolk Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins on April 19. Bermudez faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.