TEENAGER PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN VIOLENT SPRING VALLEY ROBBERY

DA’S PRESS RELEASE

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe today announced that Jiwan Coleman (DOB 08/03/99) of 31 Seabring Street, Spring Valley, New York pled guilty to:

• One count of Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class “B” Felony, in connection with the July 2, 2016 death of Ruben Suchite Torres.

District Attorney Zugibe said, “The defendant admitted that his violent and unprovoked actions were solely responsible for the untimely death of an innocent man. As such, he has proven himself unfit for society, and the prison term to be imposed is more than warranted.”

On June 26, 2016, at approximately 11:42 p.m., the victim was walking from the Spring Valley Transit Center to his home on North Myrtle Avenue in the Village of Spring Valley after leaving work. On the walk home, Torres was followed by the defendant.

As the victim walked near the area of North Myrtle Avenue and Grove Street, Coleman attacked the victim from behind, striking him in the back of the head with a rock. When the victim collapsed to the sidewalk, the defendant stole his cell phone and wallet and fled on foot in an easterly direction on Grove Street.

After an investigation by the Spring Valley Police Department, Coleman was arrested on June 28, 2016.

The victim, who had been transferred to Westchester Medical Center, remained in a coma for several days. He died from his injuries on July 2. Coleman will be sentenced on March 14, 2017 to 16 years in state prison. Executive Assistant District Attorney Stephen Moore prosecuted the case.