Year in Review: Murder Investigations in the Hudson Valley

This was the first year of Hudson Valley Post and we'd like to thank all of you for continuing to "follow the conversation" here at Hudson Valley Post.

It's been an interesting year in the local area, full of tragic murders, presidential hopefuls, fires, crashes and tales to warm the heart. Here are the stories we felt had the most impact on the Hudson Valley in 2016.

 
Murder Investigations
 

Besides the Justin Speights murder, the local area sadly saw a number of other murders.

• In June, Andrew Goodenough allegedly stabbed and killed a man who was shopping at the New Windsor ShopRite. The New Windsor man silently walked behind the victim, 35-year-old Michael Kohus of Highland Falls, in the produce aisle, sliced his neck with a box-cutter and walked away, officials say.
• Nicholas Tartaglione, a retired cop, is accused of killing four Orange County men who went missing in April.
• Nija Johnson, 17, of Newburgh is accused of opening up fire during a halloween party, killing two young women and injuring five others.  
• Solane H. Verraine, of Phoenicia is accused of poisoning a victim with a combination of alcoholic beverages and prescription drugs.
• Just before he was set to start college, 18-year-old Keyshan Gayle of Newburgh was fatally shot as he stood near a popular hangout spot for Newburgh Free Academy students. Tyler Castro of Newburgh was charged with murder. 
• A teenager from Newburgh, Devin T. Issac, allegedly killed 29-year-old Deandric M. Little. 
• Mari Gilbert, 52, of Ellenville was found with dead stab wounds to her torso, along with other injuries. Her daughter, Sarra, is the alleged killer. 
• In June, Earl Edwards, of Saugerties, was found in Washington D.C. after he allegedly fatally stabbed 40-year-old Rameen Perry at his Saugerties home. 
• In May, Dennis McBee, of Port Jervis, was charged for the 2014 murder of a of a beloved elderly military veteran and local shop owner.
• Jorge Gonzalez allegedly killed his wife in the woods near their Sullivan County home.