Stepfather charged in shooting

Handgun used in family dispute

By FRITZ MAYER

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — A Livingston Manor man has been charged with shooting his stepdaughter with a handgun in the face and neck. The girl, 16-year-old Rebecca Matthews, was transported by Mobile Medic to the New York State Police barracks in Liberty, then flown to Westchester Medical Center. She is listed in stable condition.

According to Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff, Matthews was conscious the entire time, and was able to tell officials that it was her stepfather, 55-year-old Isabelino Diaz, who pulled the trigger.

Sullivan County 911 got a call about the shooting on April 27 at 5:39 p.m. By the time officers responded to the scene, Diaz had left the house on Old Route 17 in Livingston Manor.

Patrols from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and state police then conducted a search of the area for the shooting suspect. A K-9 unit from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Police was called to the scene to aid in the search.

A little more than two hours later, acting on a tip, patrols from the sheriff’s office, state police and Town of Fallsburg police surrounded a house at 19 Riverside Drive in Fallsburg and took Diaz into custody. The house belonged to a friend of Diaz.

Diaz was charged with assault in the first degree, a felony, and sent to the Sullivan County Jail without bail. There may be additional charges coming pending the results of the investigation. Diaz has previous convictions of manslaughter and drug dealing.

Schiff said the weapon has not yet been recovered, and they aren’t sure of the type of handgun that was used. He said the girl’s mother, 44-year-old Janine Mathews, was in the house at the time, but was in a different room, and was not involved in the dispute. He added the officers have not yet been able to find out what sparked the altercation.

Schiff said that the case was brought to an end early, with no one else being injured because of the good cooperation of all the departments involved, which included Town of Lumberland constables who provided information regarding the search.

The case has been referred to Sullivan County District Attorney Steve Lungen. Diaz has another court date on May 8 at 2:30 p.m.