Hudson Valley Man Pleads Guilty in Shooting Death of Yonkers Man

A Hudson Valley man who was charged with killing 23-year-old Rodney Saunders, of Yonkers, has plead guilty.

According to acting Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty, 25-year-old Edwin Palestina, from Yonkers, pled guilty to 1st-degree manslaughter and 1st-degree attempted murder, both felonies.

On May 1, 2014, around 2:00 a.m. the victim was walking on Woodsworth Avenue near Gold Street in Yonkers when two men got out of a minivan and opened fire. Saunders attempted to enter his house, but he was struck six times by bullets. The fatal shot struck him in the chest, traveling through his heart and lungs.

Police say a male witness was also fired at. A bullet hit a window guard, grazing the witness’s shoulder. The two shooters then ran to the waiting minivan and fled the scene.

An intensive investigation led to police identifying Edwin Palestina as one of the two shooters. On June 16, 2015 he was arrested by Yonkers Detectives and the F.B.I in Houston, Texas.

With his guilty plea, Palestina faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7th.