Nicholas Tartaglione, a former police officer who served communities in Westchester and Dutchess counties, faces life in prison after being convicted in White Plains Federal Court.
On April 6, a jury delivered a guilty verdict that leaves Tartaglione to await sentencing for the gruesome 2015 murders of Martin Luna, 41, Urbano Santiago, 32, Miguel Luna, 25, and Hector Gutierrez, 43.
According to the federal indictment, the former Yonkers Police Officer went on a killing rampage after a cocaine deal went sideways at the Likquid Lounge in Chester, Orange County.
Tartaglione, 54, had suspected Martin Luna of stealing money from him. He arranged a meeting at Likquid Lounge to confront Luna and make him suffer for his alleged theft. Luna arrived at the Chester bar accompanied by Gutierrez, Santiago, and Luna.
The details of the murders may offend some readers.
As stated by US Attorney Damian Williams after Thursday’s verdict, the attack on Martin Luna was calculated and torturous.
“Unaware he was being lured into a deadly trap, Martin [Luna] tragically brought his two nephews, Miguel and Urbano, and a family friend, Hector, to the meeting. What occurred next could only be described as pure terror, as Tartaglione tortured Martin, then forced one of his nephews to watch as Tartaglione strangled Martin to death with a zip-tie.“
“Tartaglione and two of his associates then transported Miguel, Urbano, and Hector—who were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time—to a remote wooded location, forced them to kneel, and executed them with gunshots to the back of the head. Tartaglione then buried all four victims in a mass grave.”
Nicholas Tartaglione was charged with 17 counts, including murder, kidnapping, drugs, and weapons charges. At the direction of Attorney General Merrick Garland, the prosecution has stated that they would not seek the death penalty. At his upcoming sentencing, he faces life in prison.
Following his arrest in 2015, Tartaglione was detained at the since-closed Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City. During his time at the facility, he briefly shared a cell with convicted sex offender and investor Jeffrey Epstein. During their 2019 cohabitation, Epstein allegedly complained to his legal team that Tartaglione had been physically rough with him in their cell—a claim that Tartaglione denied and which never resulted in charges. Less than a month later, Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell.
