NEWBURGH, NY – Eric McCollum, 28, of Newburgh, pled guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter on November 14, 2023, as announced by Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. The plea was entered before the Honorable Craig Stephen Brown in Orange County Court.
Under the plea agreement, McCollum is expected to receive a 15-year sentence in state prison and five years of post-release supervision. The sentencing is scheduled for December 21, 2023.
Court documents and statements reveal that on May 28, 2023, at approximately 1:45 am, McCollum engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim on Broadway in the City of Newburgh. During the argument, McCollum stabbed the victim in the torso, piercing his heart, and then fled the scene. Despite immediate medical attention provided by City of Newburgh Police officers, the victim later succumbed to his injuries. McCollum was identified as the suspect and arrested days after the incident.