California man sentenced in 2015 murder

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A California man was sentenced to 25 years to life for murdering his estranged wife’s boyfriend in a November 2015 shooting on East Hawthorne Avenue in Valley Stream, the county’s district attorney announced on Tuesday.

Deon Ewers, 51, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., was found guilty of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The trial, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Meryl Berkowitz, lasted eight days and the jury deliberated for approximately one day.

“This defendant flew across the country, senselessly murdered an innocent man in a jealous rage, and fled the scene,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said in a statement. “Thanks to the outstanding efforts of Nassau police and our prosecutors, he was caught, convicted, and will spend 25 years to life in prison for this heinous crime.”

Singas said that on Nov. 6, 2015, the defendant flew to New York from California. Shortly after his arrival, Ewers visited the home of his estranged wife in Valley Stream at approximately 6:50 a.m. He had stated that the purpose of the visit was to surprise his son and estranged wife. While inside the house, the defendant came upon his estranged wife’s boyfriend, 34-year-old Majid Morris, shot him multiple times, killing him and then fled the scene.

The defendant’s teenage son, who was in the house at the time of the incident, called 911 and the victim was pronounced dead shortly after at 8:04 a.m. at South Franklin Hospital.

Ewers claimed during the trial that the shooting was accidental and in self-defense. Evidence recovered at the scene included five shell casings, bullet fragments in the bed, the victim’s DNA on the defendant’s pants, blood smears on sheets and a pillow with bullet holes.

Police arrested Ewers a day later in Oceanside.