Josiah Williams sentenced to 3 ½ to 10 years for Hillcrest stabbing

The Office of the Rockland County District Attorney announced on Tuesday that Josiah Williams, 17 of New Windsor, has been sentenced by Judge William K. Nelson to three and a half to ten years behind bars for the stabbing death of a man outside a children’s birthday party in Hillcrest in June 2013.

The incident occurred when Ricardo Barrett, 22, was walking by the party with his girlfriend. According to police, Barrett was attempting to diffuse an argument between several people, including one who allegedly had a gun, when he was stabbed by Williams.

Barrett was treated at the scene and rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, but died shortly thereafter. Police brought in one suspect for questioning immediately thereafter and identified another as the man with the gun, but did not immediately identify the killer.

Williams was arrested later in August 2013 at his New Windsor home and charged with murder in the second degree. However, he pled guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the first degree and received the maximum sentence for a juvenile offender.