In the quiet city of Newburgh, New York, a young life was tragically cut short on the morning of October 9, 2025. Matthew DeGroat, an 11-year-old boy, was fatally shot inside his family's home on North Miller Street. The incident, which occurred around 8:17 a.m., prompted a swift response from local law enforcement, who discovered the young boy and recovered a handgun at the scene.
Initially, there was some uncertainty about the nature of the wound, but investigators quickly determined that it was not self-inflicted.
The investigation into Matthew's death led to the prompt arrest of a 13-year-old boy the following day. The suspect, who was known to Matthew and described as a friend, was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder. Due to his age, his identity has not been publicly disclosed, and he is being prosecuted as a juvenile offender in Orange County Court. The firearm used in the shooting reportedly belonged to the 13-year-old suspect.
In the wake of the tragedy, Matthew's family remembered him as a kind, respectful, and outgoing child who was actively involved in his church and the Middletown youth football program. They expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community and law enforcement's quick action in making an arrest. The family also acknowledged the assistance of the SNUG program, an anti-gun violence initiative.
The legal proceedings against the teenage suspect have commenced. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, as well as additional charges of tampering with physical evidence and menacing. At his arraignment, where emotions ran high between the families of the victim and the accused, a judge denied bail, and the suspect is being held at a juvenile facility. The defense attorney for the 13-year-old has called for a more thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, maintaining her client's innocence. The case has brought the issue of youth gun violence to the forefront in the Newburgh community and continues to move through the justice system.
