Thursday, October 1, 2026
Two men have been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for their roles in a fatal shooting outside a Valley Stream party venue that left a 20-year-old man dead and three others injured in August 2023.
Kyle Matthews and Isaiah Gonzalez, both 23, began their trial on March 17 and were sentenced on May 12, following their April 10 convictions in Nassau County Court. A jury found them guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a trial before Judge Helene Gugerty.
According to a release from Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, the two men opened fire outside a party on Ocean Avenue on the evening of Aug. 21, 2023. The gathering was attended by individuals connected to the Crips street gang. Surveillance footage revealed Matthews and Gonzalez arriving in a Mercedes-Benz and walking toward a group near the venue’s entrance before firing at least eight shots using two separate .380 caliber handguns.
“The calculated murder that ended Deandre Carter’s life took a beloved son, nephew and friend from his family, and shattered the Valley Stream community,” Donnelly wrote in the release. “Deandre had dreams of pursuing a career in criminal justice and becoming a police officer. Dreams that were stolen from him that August night.
“The lengthy prison sentences handed down today to these defendants send a message that gun violence will never be tolerated in Nassau County and that my office will be there to hold defendants accountable to every extent possible for their violent crimes. I commend my prosecutors for their pursuit of justice on behalf of Deandre and his loved ones.”
Carter was struck in the chest, the bullet shattered his ribs and pierced his heart and left lung, killing him. Three other individuals, including a 12-year-old, were also shot but survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation, conducted jointly by the Nassau County and New York City police departments, led to Matthews’ arrest in Far Rockaway on Sept. 6, 2023. Gonzalez was taken into custody in Manhattan two days later. Surveillance video played a key role in tracing the suspects’ movements before and after the shooting.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Brian Rodriguez of the Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Jared Rosenblatt and Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Litigation Division Kevin Higgins. Matthews was represented by George Michel, and Jason Russo represented Gonzalez.
The DA’s office also acknowledged the support of the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression Unit in helping with the case.
