Rockville Centre man nabbed in Hempstead homicide

A Rockville Centre man was arrested on Dec. 7 in connection with a fatal shooting that took place in early November in the Village of Hempstead.

James Rutledge, 20, of 21B Old Mill Court was arrested in front of 150 N. Centre Ave. and charged with the murder of Melvin Wells, 40, who was found shot on the sidewalk in front of his home at 133 Linden Ave. in Hempstead at 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 4. Police also arrested Ramona Butler, 23, of 108 Grove Street, Hempstead in connection with the same incident.

Detectives believe that Wells had interceded to end a robbery that Rutledge, Butler and a third suspect, who is still at large, were conducting on the block. According to police, Wells shot at the fleeing suspects who returned fire, mortally wounding him.

The arrests followed a joint investigation involving the Rockville Centre Police Department’s Anti-Crime Unit and detectives from the Nassau County Homicide Squad, the Bureau of Special Operations and the Third Squad.

Butler and Rutledge, who attended South Side High School, were both charged with second-degree murder. They were represented by Legal Aid attorneys at an arraignment on Dec. 8 in First District Court in Hempstead, and are being held without bail.

Police ask that anyone with information regarding this homicide contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.