Centereach, N.Y. – Anthony Santiesteban, 32, of Centereach, has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for the brutal murder of Martina Thompson, 33, of East Patchogue. The tragic events unfolded in the early morning hours of October 29, 2022, when Santiesteban fatally shot Thompson.
Surveillance footage captured the two engaging in a conversation next to Santiesteban’s Jeep Cherokee in a Coram parking lot. Moments later, Santiesteban followed Thompson into a fenced area at the rear of the parking lot. At approximately 1:03 a.m., a gunshot was heard, and Santiesteban was seen exiting the area with a semi-automatic handgun. He then entered his Jeep and fled the scene.
Police arrived at the scene at 1:25 a.m. to find Thompson lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to her face. She was rushed to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue, where she was pronounced dead.
On November 2, 2022, police executed a search warrant at Santiesteban’s home and recovered a loaded and defaced 9mm handgun from his bedroom. Ballistics testing confirmed that the bullet casing found next to Thompson’s body matched the gun recovered from Santiesteban’s room.
Following a jury trial, Santiesteban was convicted on June 24th of the following charges:
- One count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A felony;
- Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Class C violent felonies; and
- One count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a Class D violent felony.
On August 1st a judge sentenced Santiesteban to 40 years to life in prison.
“This defendant deliberately took the life of Martina Thompson, whose children will now have to live without their mother,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Murder does not just end one life, it devastates families, friends, and entire communities.”
