By:Jonann Brady
Four reputed members of the Latin Kings gang and a female accomplice who allegedly provided the transportation and the weapon, all from Freeport, were arrested last Wednesday and charged with the murder last September of a 37-year-old Lynbrook man, Anthony Battaglia, whose brutal killing stunned the quiet community. Police believe that the five charged with Battaglia-s murder are also responsible for a months-long robbery spree prior to the killing, including the robbery of a Rockville Centre couple three hours before the murder and robberies in Long Beach and Oceanside earlier that week.
The arrests were part of a five-month investigation by Nassau County police, who credited painstaking police work, interagency cooperation, tips from the public and the quick thinking of a Freeport police officer, who questioned two of the suspects after a traffic stop.
Two of the suspects were charged with first-degree murder, which means they could face the death penalty, as well as first-degree attempted robbery. Police say that Nelson Zuniga, 19, of 155 Pine St. in Freeport, shot Battaglia, and Omar Delarosa, 18, of 49 Lillian Ave., stabbed him.
Janny Paez, 20, of 44 Nassau Ave.; Marina Musso, 21, of 794 South Long Beach Ave.; and Fernando Moronta, 20, of 85 North Long Beach Ave., have been charged with second-degree murder and first-degree attempted robbery.
In a news conference last Thursday, police officials, flanked by County Executive Tom Suozzi and Police Commissioner James Lawrence, said that the group allegedly drove around in a vehicle provided by Musso, looking for people to rob, and used force in some cases.
Battaglia was on his way home from work in Manhattan on Sept. 18, at around 11:30 p.m., when police say he was accosted by the robbers. Battaglia put up a fight, but was beaten, shot and stabbed by the robbers, who then drove away, police said. Battaglia, who was mortally wounded, managed to crawl to his back door, where his wife, Caryn, found him lying in a pool of blood.
Detective Lt. Dennis Farrell of the Homicide Squad said that the killing was not part of a gang initiation rite. The motive was simply to go out and steal from other people, and if that stealing had to be done forcibly, they were totally prepared to do that, said Farrell. [Battaglia] was a target of opportunity. He was walking alone late at night.
Police say they received dozens of tips from citizens on the Crime Stoppers hotline as well as an eyewitness account from a neighbor, who saw a gray Nissan Xterra drive away from the crime scene on the night of the murder.
On Sept. 30, Freeport Police Officer Chris Pandolfo stopped Paez and Musso in a gray Nissan Xterra in Freeport and, knowing that Paez was a member of the Latin Kings, conducted a field interview and alerted Nassau County police.
Days later, an anonymous tipster reported the Xterra and its occupants travelling into Brooklyn and said it may be the same vehicle spotted after the Lynbrook murder. Police linked officer Pandolfo-s stop with that tip, and the pieces of the puzzle continued to fall into place.
Paez was arrested last Wednesday morning on a warrant for probation violations as part of a gang sweep by the U.S. Marshal-s Task Force on Long Island, and his subsequent questioning led to the arrest of the other suspects in the Battaglia case.
Shortly after the news conference last Thursday at which the arrests were announced, Caryn Battaglia spoke briefly to reporters in front of the family-s home on Sunset Avenue in Lynbrook, and thanked the police, her neighbors and the media for keeping the case in the spotlight. This has been a very long road, she said. We love Tony very much ... and at least they-ll be brought to justice.
Battaglia was survived as well by a son, Richie, 14, and a daughter, Stephanie, 3.
A $30,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killers, but police could not say at this point who, if anyone, would receive the reward money.
All five suspects were arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead, and pleaded not guilty.
