Members of the Village of Monticello Police Department,following an investigation conducted in conjunction with the New York State Police, Town of Fallsburg Police Department, Sullivan County Sheriff’sOffice and the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, arrested Howard A. Sanders, age 19, of Loch Sheldrake on May 21, 2018. Sanders was charged with Murder in the 2^ndDegree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2^ndDegree, and Tampering with Physical Evidence, felonies.

At 3:37 AM on Sunday, May 20, 2018, members of the Village of Monticello Police Department and New York State Police responded to a 911 callreporting a body on the ground at the “Monticello Meadows” apartment complex located at 91 Shaker Heights Drive in the Village of Monticello. The victim has subsequently been identified as Lawrence Burns, age 19, of Brooklyn. Preliminary autopsy determination has revealed that Burns suffered gunshots wounds to the head.

An intensive investigation by Monticello and New York State police determined that Burns was killed inside an apartment in the complex, which was only a short distance away from where his body was discovered. A search warrant was executed at Apartment #30, which resulted in the seizure of physical evidence related to the homicide.

Crack cocaine and Suboxone were also discovered inside the apartment, for which Gerrod D. Lucas, age 22, was subsequently charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 5^thDegree, a felony, and misdemeanor Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7^thDegree. Lucas was remanded to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

Further investigation identified Sanders as the suspect in Burns’ homicide. Sanders was taken into custody without incident in the Town of Fallsburg on Monday, May 20, 2018. Sanders was arraigned before Acting Village of Monticello Justice Leo Glass and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail pending further court action.

Village of Monticello Police Chief Robert Mir would like to thank all of the law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation for their assistance to and support of the Village of Monticello Police Department, which resulted in the rapid arrest of Sanders.