Edeedson Cine, 23, spent his final Christmas morning celebrating with his family and helping with household chores before heading to work for a shift he wasn’t originally scheduled to cover. The young man had agreed to fill in at the CVS on East Montauk Highway as a favor to a coworker, ensuring they could spend the holiday at home.
The gesture of goodwill ended in tragedy at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Christmas Day. Suffolk County police arrived at the Lindenhurst drugstore to find Cine with a fatal stab wound to the chest. Emergency responders transported him to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities quickly moved to arrest 43-year-old John Pilaccio of Lindenhurst in connection with the attack. Pilaccio has been charged with second-degree murder. While a specific motive has not yet been established, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina noted that surveillance footage suggests Cine was assaulted while working behind the counter. Catalina indicated that the suspect’s background suggests he entered the store with “nefarious reasons,” leading to the fatal confrontation.
Cine’s father, Edeedson Cine Sr., remembered his son as a man dedicated to helping others, noting that it was typical of him to volunteer for difficult tasks. The victim’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with expenses, describing Cine as a “remarkable young man” with a heart for service. His father recalled their final moments together on Christmas morning, stating that his son kissed him goodbye before leaving for the shift from which he would never return.
