Georgios Boultadakis, of East Meadow, admitted killing John Melnikoff Jr., his domestic partner, in videotaped confession, court records show
A Long Island man gave Suffolk homicide detectives a videotaped confession Monday detailing how he killed his domestic partner at their Huntington Station home in an incident first reported as noncriminal more than two years ago, court records show.
Georgios Boultadakis, 25, of East Meadow, allegedly wrapped his arms around the neck of Suffolk Homicide Squad Det. Frankie Sierra in a recorded demonstration of how he ended the life of John Melnikoff Jr. late in the evening of Aug. 7, 2022, a Suffolk prosecutor detailed in a Central Islip courtroom this week.
“[Boultadakis] explained that he held him until [Melnikoff] stopped fighting,” Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Dena Rizopoulos told District Court Judge Evan Tannenbaum at Boultadakis’ arraignment Tuesday, according to a transcript of the proceeding.
Boultadakis, an employee with the Town of Oyster Bay parks department, pleaded not guilty to a single count of second-degree murder and was ordered by Tannenbaum to be held at the county jail without bail.
Rizopoulos outlined how the account given to police Monday, after investigators arrested Boultadakis at his home, differed from his initial statement to police following a 911 reporting that Melnikoff was unconscious at the bottom of the stairs in the basement of a home they shared on Horton Drive in Huntington Station on Aug. 8, 2022, according to the transcript. Boultadakis alleged that he was performing CPR on his partner during the 6:30 a.m. emergency call, Rizopoulos said.
“He indicated they had a lovely Sunday together watching movies in bed all day long,” Rizopoulos told the court, “and that at some time in the evening they had a disagreement in the basement. He did not see John again until the next morning.”
Melnikoff’s manner of death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy revealed soft tissue hemorrhaging in the left side of his neck and a fractured hyoid bone, Rizopoulos said, adding that the medical examiner determined that neck compressions caused his death. Melnikoff was 40 years old, records show.
In the videotaped interview at Suffolk County Police Headquarters in Yaphank Monday, Boultadakis told investigators the alleged fight occurred after he revealed to Melnikoff that he was no longer attracted to him and would like to return home to live with his parents in Nassau County, Rizopoulos told Tannenbaum.
Boultadakis said Melnikoff was armed with a knife and a bottle of moonshine, and had threatened to harm his parents and said he would send sexually explicit images of him to his friends, according to the arraignment transcript.
“If you threaten my parents, hell will break loose for you,” Boultadakis told detectives he said to Melnikoff on the evening of the altercation. “Don’t [expletive] with me. I’ve had it.”
Rizopoulos said Boultadakis told detectives during the video interview that “he would [expletive] and piss on [Melnikoff’s] grave.”
Attorney Jason Bassett, of Central Islip, who was appointed to represent Boultadakis at his arraignment Tuesday told Tannenbaum his client has no prior criminal record and he denies the charges.
“I’m hearing things about [Melnikoff] carrying the knife,” Bassett told the judge. “Even assuming in arguendo the partial accuracy of this statement, which by no means [we] concede, it sounds like at least the makings of a self-defense claim.”
Bassett did not respond to a telephone message seeking comment this week.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and the Suffolk County Police Department both declined to comment.
Rizopoulos said in court Tuesday that Boultadakis flew to Florida and lived there for a short time after the alleged killing before moving into his parents’ home in East Meadow. She said he told police that he had confessed the killing to his parents.
“They were never told anything about anything,” Bassett shot back as he made his argument for bail, according to the transcript.
Bassett described Boultadakis’ parents as “pillars in their community,” who he said were present in the courtroom to support their son at his arraignment, the transcript states.
Oyster Bay public information officer Brian Nevin said Boultadakis was hired as a part-time laborer in June 2019. He became a full-time laborer the following March, most recently working for the parks department, Nevin said. Boultadakis has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case, Nevin said.
Boultadakis is due back in court Friday.
A Long Island man gave Suffolk homicide detectives a videotaped confession Monday detailing how he killed his domestic partner at their Huntington Station home in an incident first reported as noncriminal more than two years ago, court records show.
Georgios Boultadakis, 25, of East Meadow, allegedly wrapped his arms around the neck of Suffolk Homicide Squad Det. Frankie Sierra in a recorded demonstration of how he ended the life of John Melnikoff Jr. late in the evening of Aug. 7, 2022, a Suffolk prosecutor detailed in a Central Islip courtroom this week.
“[Boultadakis] explained that he held him until [Melnikoff] stopped fighting,” Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Dena Rizopoulos told District Court Judge Evan Tannenbaum at Boultadakis’ arraignment Tuesday, according to a transcript of the proceeding.
Boultadakis, an employee with the Town of Oyster Bay parks department, pleaded not guilty to a single count of second-degree murder and was ordered by Tannenbaum to be held at the county jail without bail.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- A Long Island man gave Suffolk homicide detectives a videotaped confession Monday detailing how he killed his domestic partner at their Huntington Station home in 2022, court records show.
- Georgios Boultadakis, 25, of East Meadow, allegedly wrapped his arms around the neck of Suffolk Homicide Squad Det. Frankie Sierra in a recorded demonstration of how he ended the life of John Melnikoff Jr. late in the evening of Aug. 7, 2022, a Suffolk prosecutor said in a Central Islip courtroom.
- Attorney Jason Bassett, who was appointed to represent Boultadakis at his arraignment Tuesday, said his client has no prior criminal record and denies the charges.
Rizopoulos outlined how the account given to police Monday, after investigators arrested Boultadakis at his home, differed from his initial statement to police following a 911 reporting that Melnikoff was unconscious at the bottom of the stairs in the basement of a home they shared on Horton Drive in Huntington Station on Aug. 8, 2022, according to the transcript. Boultadakis alleged that he was performing CPR on his partner during the 6:30 a.m. emergency call, Rizopoulos said.
“He indicated they had a lovely Sunday together watching movies in bed all day long,” Rizopoulos told the court, “and that at some time in the evening they had a disagreement in the basement. He did not see John again until the next morning.”
Melnikoff’s manner of death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy revealed soft tissue hemorrhaging in the left side of his neck and a fractured hyoid bone, Rizopoulos said, adding that the medical examiner determined that neck compressions caused his death. Melnikoff was 40 years old, records show.
In the videotaped interview at Suffolk County Police Headquarters in Yaphank Monday, Boultadakis told investigators the alleged fight occurred after he revealed to Melnikoff that he was no longer attracted to him and would like to return home to live with his parents in Nassau County, Rizopoulos told Tannenbaum.
Georgios Boultadakis admitted killing his domestic partner, John Melnikoff Jr., at their Huntington home on Aug. 7, 2022, court papers show. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Boultadakis said Melnikoff was armed with a knife and a bottle of moonshine, and had threatened to harm his parents and said he would send sexually explicit images of him to his friends, according to the arraignment transcript.
“If you threaten my parents, hell will break loose for you,” Boultadakis told detectives he said to Melnikoff on the evening of the altercation. “Don’t [expletive] with me. I’ve had it.”
Rizopoulos said Boultadakis told detectives during the video interview that “he would [expletive] and piss on [Melnikoff’s] grave.”
Attorney Jason Bassett, of Central Islip, who was appointed to represent Boultadakis at his arraignment Tuesday told Tannenbaum his client has no prior criminal record and he denies the charges.
“I’m hearing things about [Melnikoff] carrying the knife,” Bassett told the judge. “Even assuming in arguendo the partial accuracy of this statement, which by no means [we] concede, it sounds like at least the makings of a self-defense claim.”
Bassett did not respond to a telephone message seeking comment this week.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and the Suffolk County Police Department both declined to comment.
Rizopoulos said in court Tuesday that Boultadakis flew to Florida and lived there for a short time after the alleged killing before moving into his parents’ home in East Meadow. She said he told police that he had confessed the killing to his parents.
“They were never told anything about anything,” Bassett shot back as he made his argument for bail, according to the transcript.
Bassett described Boultadakis’ parents as “pillars in their community,” who he said were present in the courtroom to support their son at his arraignment, the transcript states.
Oyster Bay public information officer Brian Nevin said Boultadakis was hired as a part-time laborer in June 2019. He became a full-time laborer the following March, most recently working for the parks department, Nevin said. Boultadakis has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case, Nevin said.
Boultadakis is due back in court Friday.
Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.
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