Photo Courtesy of AA Roads
The murder occurred moments after the victim pulled over the station wagon on the westbound shoulder of the Grand Central Parkway near 68th Avenue.
By Forum Staff
A Queens juryhas found a 57-yearold man guilty of an execution-style murder in the shooting death of a man who was shot in the back of the head by the defendant, who was seated in the back of the vehicle being driven by the victim on February 8, 1990.
“Justice eluded the family of the victim for more than 25 years, but today a jury rendered its verdict and found the defendant guilty of murder. The defendant – with cold-hearted precision fired a single shot into the back of the victim’s head – and then jumped out of the carto fire several more shots standing beside the driver’s door. As a result, the defendant will likely be locked away for the rest of his life.”
Thedefendant was identified as Kevin Smith, 57, of 1324 Lexington Avenue in New York City. Following a week-long trial, a jury today found the defendant guilty of second-degree murder. Sentencing is set for January 18, 2017, at which time the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
Trial testimony, says that the defendant sat in the back seat of a Dodge station wagon being driven by the victim, 45-year-old Frank Sestak. A third man, David Hammerstone, 47, sat in the front passenger seat of the car. Moments after pulling over on westbound shoulder of the Grand Central Parkway near 68th Avenue, the defendant fired a revolver – hitting Sestak in the back of the head. Smith then got out of the vehicle and moved to stand beside the driver’s side door and fired several more shots hitting the victim in the neck, head and shoulder. The bullets penetrated Sestak’s skull, brain, spine and lungs and he died from these injuries.
According to trial records, the third man in the vehicle, Hammerstone also shot the victim and in October 2016, he pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and his facing up to 12 years in prison when sentenced on December 1, 2016.
