Roosevelt man convicted of murder in fatal Hempstead beating behind Chuck E. Cheese
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that Dennis Ray, 64, of Roosevelt, was found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder and other charges in the brutal 2022 attack that left Jose Osma dead after a year-long medical decline.
Ray, also known as “Midnight,” was convicted Tuesday following a trial that began March 23 in Nassau County Court. The jury deliberated for approximately four and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts on charges including Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree, and Robbery in the First and Second Degrees. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison at sentencing scheduled for May 12.
Brutal robbery led to year-long medical decline
Prosecutors said the attack occurred around 11 p.m. on April 22, 2022, behind 162 Fulton Avenue in Hempstead, at the rear of a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant. Ray and co-defendant Tyrell Guthrie assaulted 59-year-old Jose Osma during a robbery, leaving him critically injured.
Osma was discovered hours later by a passerby at approximately 6:30 a.m., unconscious and without identification. He suffered severe skull and orbital fractures and was transported to a hospital as a “John Doe,” delaying notification to his family, who had already filed a missing persons report in Suffolk County.
“Jose Osma was beaten to within an inch of his life during a robbery in 2022 and what followed was an endless cycle of brain surgeries, paralysis, rehab and hospitalizations until Jose sadly succumbed to his extensive injuries a year later,” said District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly.
Arrests and co-defendant case
Tyrell Guthrie was arrested near the scene by Nassau County Police Department officers shortly after the attack, with the victim’s blood found on his clothing and on a jacket linked to Ray. Ray was arrested weeks later on May 7, 2022.
Osma underwent five brain surgeries and slipped in and out of a coma before ultimately dying on April 30, 2023, from complications related to the assault.
Guthrie later pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in November 2023 and was sentenced to 18 years in prison in January 2024.
Prosecutors highlight severity of case
Donnelly emphasized the brutality of the crime and its lasting impact on the victim’s family.
“For days after the attack Jose’s family did not know where he was or what had happened to him, and for a year after that, they were heartbreakingly forced to witness his tragic decline,” Donnelly said.
The case reflects a broader focus by Nassau County prosecutors on pursuing violent felony cases tied to robbery-related assaults, particularly those resulting in long-term or fatal injuries.
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Key Points
• Roosevelt man convicted of murder in 2022 Hempstead beating and robbery
• Victim died a year later after multiple surgeries and prolonged hospitalization
• Defendant faces up to 25 years to life at upcoming sentencing
