Police say the 23-year-old was attacked at a Lindenhurst pharmacy shortly before 7 p.m.
LINDENHURST, N.Y. — A 23-year-old CVS worker was fatally stabbed inside the chain’s store on East Montauk Highway on Christmas night, Suffolk County police said, and a 43-year-old man was later arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Authorities identified the victim as Edeedson Cine Jr. of West Babylon. Detectives say the attack unfolded just before 7 p.m. on Dec. 25 inside the store, where Cine was covering a shift. The case moved quickly through the holiday weekend, with officers announcing an arrest on Friday and an arraignment on Saturday in Central Islip. The killing rattled a busy retail strip and reignited concerns about safety for frontline employees working evening and holiday hours. Police and prosecutors say they are reviewing store surveillance footage and witness statements as they piece together the moments before the stabbing and any motive.
Police said officers responded to a 911 call at 6:50 p.m. Thursday. When they arrived, they found Cine with a stab wound to the chest near the register area. He was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, where he was pronounced dead. By Friday night, investigators announced the arrest of John Pilaccio of Lindenhurst. He was charged with second-degree murder. On Saturday, prosecutors presented the case in First District Court, where they outlined an encounter inside the store and said further evidence would come from video and forensics. “This is a heartbreaking loss, and our detectives are pursuing every lead,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said in a briefing.
Officials said the store’s address is 20 East Montauk Highway, a well-traveled corridor through the South Shore village. The incident happened roughly an hour before the store’s listed closing time. Court records filed after the arrest say the confrontation began at the counter and lasted seconds. Detectives collected a knife believed to be the weapon and were seeking additional footage from inside and outside the pharmacy, including cameras in the parking lot. Prosecutors told the court the suspect was taken into custody without incident. The defendant’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the hearing. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether the victim and suspect knew each other prior to the attack.
Community members who frequent the store described seeing squad cars block the lot and crime scene tape stretched across the entrance on Christmas night. The village sits between Babylon and Copiague, and the store pulls customers from several neighborhoods that were still busy with holiday errands. Co-workers told reporters that Cine had been with the store for nearly a year and often accepted extra shifts. A company spokesperson said the retailer was “shocked and saddened” by the killing and offered condolences to the family and staff. The chain said it was cooperating with investigators and providing support services to employees who were working when the attack occurred.
Police said the homicide squad is leading the investigation, with assistance from the department’s crime lab and video analysis unit. Pilaccio was ordered held after his Saturday arraignment, according to officials. The charge of second-degree murder carries a potential sentence of years to life in state prison. Detectives are working to determine whether robbery was a factor and whether any prior calls were made involving the suspect at nearby businesses. Additional charges could follow if new evidence emerges from the forensic review or witness interviews. The district attorney’s office said a grand jury presentation is expected this week.
Neighbors placed flowers outside the CVS entrance Saturday and Sunday. “He was polite and always asked if you found what you needed,” said Carmen Rivera, who shops there weekly. “To lose someone so young on a holiday—it’s devastating,” said John DeLuca, who lives a block away. Co-workers described Cine as punctual and upbeat, saying he often helped close the store. A hand-lettered sign reading “Rest in Peace, Edeedson” leaned against a light post near the parking lot. Inside the courthouse, relatives sat together during the hearing and left without speaking to reporters.
As of Sunday afternoon, police said the investigation remains active, with the next court date scheduled this week in Central Islip. Detectives asked anyone with information to contact the homicide squad. A memorial for the victim has steadily grown at the store’s front door, where the lights have remained dim since the crime scene was cleared.
Author note: Last updated December 28, 2025.