SENTENCES OF 16 YEARS, 17 YEARS IN PRISON FOR TWO MEN IN FATAL SHOOTING OF TEEN DURING ROBBERY IN HIS HOME

Defendants Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter; Had Gone To Victim’s Home To Steal Insurance Settlement

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that two men have been sentenced to prison—one for 16 years, the other for 17 years--for fatally shooting a teen in his Bronx home in 2016. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendants went to the 19-year-old victim’s home to commit a robbery and shot him during a struggle. The defendants’ actions ended the life of a young man over money that wasn’t even in the victim’s home.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Andy Encarnacion, 24, of 596 Riverside Drive, Manhattan, was sentenced today to 17 years in prison and 5 years post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice James McCarty. Matthew Wulah, 25, of 2632 Davidson Avenue, was sentenced to 16 years in prison and 5 years post-release supervision by Judge McCarty on April 11, 2019. Encarnacion and Wulah pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter in March 2019 before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Barry E. Warhit. 

 According to the investigation, in the early morning on November 20, 2016, inside 1058 Southern Boulevard, the defendants, in concert with each other, shot Jose Hart, 19, causing his death. Prior to the shooting, the victim’s mother had recently won a $50,000 car insurance settlement, and Hart had told a woman he was dating, Kayla Moreno, about the money. After the victim shared a sexually explicit video of them, she allegedly planned the robbery with others. Moreno told Wulah and Encarnacion about the money and let the defendants into Hart’s apartment. While trying to find the money, the victim struggled with the defendants and he was shot in the chest.

 The defendants fled the scene and allegedly took with them a flat screen TV, the victim’s cell phone, PlayStation console, sneakers and his jacket. The victim’s body was found by his mother when she arrived home several hours after the shooting. 

 The cases against Moreno and other co-defendants are still pending. 

 District Attorney Clark thanked Beryl Wright, Clerical Associate in the Homicide Bureau. District Attorney Clark also thanked Detective Gregory Casvikes of the 41st Precinct Squad and Detective Robert Klein of the Bronx Homicide Task Force.