On a quiet Sunday morning, May 10, 2020, in the town of Cochecton, New York, the life of 40-year-old Anthony Bertolini, a Caucasian male, was abruptly ended. In the early hours, at approximately 1:05 a.m., Sullivan County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a residence at 449 Skipperine Road following a 911 call reporting a shooting.
Upon their arrival, deputies discovered a grim scene.
Bertolini was found deceased, seated in the driver's seat of a vehicle in the driveway, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound. A female witness at the scene was immediately interviewed by the deputies. Inside the residence, two men had barricaded themselves, initially refusing to comply with law enforcement's orders to exit. After a period of negotiation, both men eventually surrendered to the authorities.
The investigation that followed painted a harrowing picture of the night's events. Detectives determined that Bertolini had arrived at the residence to visit the female witness. It was then that 76-year-old John McArdle, a resident of the home, emerged with a long gun. Without warning, McArdle allegedly fired a shot directly through the windshield of the vehicle Bertolini was in, striking and killing him. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Sullivan County Coroner.
Later that day, a search warrant was executed at the Cochecton home, leading to the recovery of three rifles and a handgun. In the wake of the investigation, John McArdle was arrested and faced a series of serious charges, including one count of second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, the latter charge stemming from a prior felony conviction. McArdle was arraigned via a video link and subsequently remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation, though authorities have stated they believe it was an isolated incident.
