On a summer evening in Monticello, New York, the life of 28-year-old Juan Medina was brought to a violent and tragic end. On June 28, 2016, the Hispanic male was standing on the porch of a residence on Park Avenue when he was fatally shot multiple times. Witnesses at the scene described seeing a man approach Medina and open fire before fleeing. When Monticello Police arrived, they found Medina deceased in the doorway of the multi-residence building.
The subsequent investigation, aided by
several law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police, quickly pointed to a domestic dispute as the motive for the slaying. Investigators learned that Medina had recently become involved with the estranged wife of another Monticello resident, Carlos Serrano, who was 24 years old at the time. This new relationship is believed to have led to the deadly confrontation. Within hours of the shooting, police located and arrested Serrano in connection with the homicide.
Following his arrest, Carlos Serrano, who also went by the names Carlos Serrano Valentine and Jay Menor Serrano, was indicted by a Sullivan County grand jury. He faced charges of second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. The indictment detailed that Serrano had intentionally caused Juan Medina's death by shooting him multiple times with a handgun and, in the process, endangered the lives of others who were on the porch at the time of the shooting, including an 8-year-old child. Evidence presented during the trial included testimony from three witnesses, including Serrano's estranged wife, who identified him as the shooter. The prosecution also presented text messages from Serrano to his estranged wife that indicated his anger about another man being near his son.
The trial concluded with a jury finding Carlos Serrano guilty on all charges. During the sentencing, it was revealed that Medina's last act was to push the 8-year-old child on the porch to safety, an action her mother believed saved her life. In May 2017, a judge sentenced Serrano to 25 years to life in prison for the second-degree murder of Juan Medina. He also received concurrent sentences for the weapons and reckless endangerment convictions.
