DA VANCE: RANDY COLON SENTENCED TO 49 YEARS-TO-LIFE IN PRISON FOR THE 2010 MURDER OF A PACE UNIVERSITY STUDENT
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the sentencing of RANDY COLON, 34, to 49 years-to-life in state prison for the 2010 murder of a 21-year-old Pace University student in Lower Manhattan. On January 28, 2015, the defendant was found guilty by a jury in New York State Supreme Court of the top charges in the indictment against him, Murder in the First and Second Degrees, as well as various charges of Burglary, Robbery, Assault, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, and Promoting Prison Contraband.
On August 15, 2013, separately-charged defendant RAYMOND RIZZO, 33, was sentenced to 32 years-to-life in state prison following a jury conviction of Murder in the Second Degree, Burglary in the First Degree, Robbery in the First and Second Degrees, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, and Assault.
“Max Moreno was a senior at Pace University studying marketing when
he was murdered just nine months shy of his expected graduation,”
said District Attorney Vance. “These defendants refused to accept
responsibility for their crimes – Randy Colon even fled to Pennsylvania
in an attempt to escape arrest. Thanks to the hard work of the NYPD and
my Office’s prosecutors, these defendants will serve lengthy prison
terms for this brutal murder.”
As proven at trial, shortly before 12:00 a.m. on September 28, 2010, COLON
and RIZZO entered Max Moreno’s 37th floor apartment at a building
in Lower Manhattan. COLON threatened Moreno and another victim with a
gun, while RIZZO demanded their personal property. Both Moreno and the
other victim gave COLON and RIZZO their wallets and cellphones. However,
when Moreno refused to provide additional items, COLON shot him once in
the head, killing him. The other victim then attempted to escape by running
into the building’s hallway, where COLON chased him and began to
beat him. Shortly thereafter, COLON was joined by RIZZO who struck the
second victim on the head with a metal box.
On October 14, 2010, NYPD detectives located and arrested COLON in Pennsylvania, where he fled following the murder. RIZZO was arrested four days later in East Harlem.
Assistant District Attorneys Leila Kermani and Evan Krutoy prosecuted this case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Armando Durastanti, Chief of Trial Bureau 40, Assistant District Attorney Kerry O’Connell, Chief of Trial Bureau 80, Assistant District Attorney Ann Prunty, Counsel to the Trial Division, and Executive Assistant District Attorney John Irwin, Chief of the Trial Division. Paralegal Hannah Wurgaft, former paralegal Christopher Siciliano and former analyst Samantha Salkin assisted with the case.
District Attorney Vance also thanked members of the NYPD, including Retired Detectives James Piccione and Jeffrey Salta of the Manhattan South Homicide Squad, and Detective Matthew Briscoe, formerly in the First Precinct, currently of the Staten Island Robbery Squad.
Defendant Information:
RANDY COLON, D.O.B. 4/15/1980
New York, NY
Convicted:
- Murder in the First Degree, a class A felony, one count
- Murder in the Second Degree, a class A felony, one count
- Burglary in the First Degree, a class B felony, three counts
- Robbery in the First Degree, a class B felony, three counts
- Robbery in the Second Degree, a class C felony, three counts
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
- Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
- Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree, a class D felony, one count
Sentenced:
- 49 years-to-life in state prison
RAYMOND RIZZO, D.O.B. 11/10/1979
Brooklyn, NY
Convicted:
- Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A felony, one count
- Burglary in the First Degree, a Class B felony, three counts
- Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B felony, three counts
- Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, three counts
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
- Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count
Sentenced:
- 32 years-to-life in state prison