Roy Christmas punched his sister and later stabbed her boyfriend after fight about misplaced cellphone
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting District Attorney Joyce A. Smith announced that a Hempstead man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for the stabbing death of his sister’s boyfriend.
Roy Christmas, 40, of Hempstead, pleaded guilty before Judge Teresa Corrigan on September 15, 2021 to manslaughter in the first degree in satisfaction of the indictment.
“William Pinckney was a loving father who was senselessly stabbed to death when he came to the aid of his girlfriend after she was punched by her brother,” Acting DA Smith said. “This was a truly senseless killing and we hope that today’s sentence helps the Pinckney family as they continue to mourn William’s loss.”
Acting District Attorney Smith said that, according to the indictment, on May 1, 2018, at approximately 4:15 a.m., the defendant stabbed William Pinckney multiple times at a home on Warner Avenue in Hempstead. The 57-year old victim was transported to Nassau University Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 4:57 a.m.
At the time of the incident, Pinckney and Christmas were attending a party at the residence. As the defendant was leaving, he could not find his cellphone and an argument ensued. Christmas punched his sister – who was also attending the party – in the face, and Pinckney intervened and began to fight with the defendant. At one point during the fight, Pinckney threw a chair at the defendant and Christmas stabbed him several times and fled the location. When asked by first responders who stabbed him as he lay in the yard of the home, Pinckney made a dying declaration, stating that it was Roy Christmas.
The defendant was arrested on May 14, 2018, by members of the Nassau County Police Department Homicide Squad.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Ania Pulaski of the Homicide Bureau. The defendant is represented by William Shanahan, Esq.
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