Murder Most Foul

BY KATHY KAHN

When Alberto Acosta-Sanchez was indicted for statutory rape in Rockland County in 2013, the Ramapo man fled to the outskirts of Orange County, taking refuge in a deserted cabin in the Town of Deerpark. There he was befriended by resident David Carlson, who gave him odd jobs on his property and invited the 33-year-old to dine with his family occasionally.

Two years after he fled Rockland, NYS Police were alerted to Acosta-Sanchez’s whereabouts. He managed to elude the manhunt, showing up at Carlson’s door asking for help. Carlson obliged by grabbing his shotgun and marching Acosta-Sanchez to a neighbor’s house to call 911.  The call was made to 911—not to pick up the suspect, but to report the man was dead, shot once in the foot and once in the head by Carlson, who told police Acosta-Sanchez lunged at him.

Carlson was indicted by an Orange County grand jury, but the panel’s indictment was dismissed when the presiding judge learned the prosecutors failed to tell the Grand Jury of Carlson’s claim of “feeling threatened. No sooner was the indictment dismissed than Carlson was indicted again, this time by the Westchester DA office, since Carlson’s lawyer was a former partner of Orange County DA David Hoovler.

Carlson, convicted of Murder in the 2^nd degree, was remanded to Orange County Jail, his bail rising to $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond. He faces up to 20 years in jail when he is sentenced on January 9, 2017. Carlson remained free on bail thanks to his neighbors, but on Monday, November 15, the jury that heard both sides of the case and deliberated for days came out with a guilty verdict.

The murdered man’s mother and sister attended the trial every day and had no comment after the jury’s verdict was announced.