Alleged Murderer, Victim Both West Hempstead Residents, 'Acquaintances'

They weren't friends, but they weren't strangers either.

Bruny Fenelon and the man he allegedly outside the in West Hempstead "were acquaintances," a spokesman for the Nassau County Police told reporters Friday afternoon.

"They only knew each other by their street names," Police Inspector Kenneth stated at a press conference at NCPD headquarters. 

Both Fenelon, 30, and his victim, a 39-year-old man from Guyana, were both residents of West Hempstead. They weren't employees of National Wholesale Liquidators but they were drinking alcohol together near the loading docks of the Hempstead Turnpike store when a verbal argument broke out between them Thursday night.

"The argument escalated into a physical altercation," Lack said, adding that he did not know which man attacked first. "When the victim fell to the ground, the [Fenelon] began to viciously punch, kick, and stomp him in the face, neck and head, causing his death."

Lack stated that there were "several witnesses to the event," but none of them tried to intervene to stop the brutal attack. Police do not believe it was gang-related. It was a passerby who called 911 at 9:02 p.m. to report an attack in progress.

Patrol cars and emergency vehicles quickly descended upon the scene, but Fenelon had already fled on foot. He was arrested at his home, located on Hempstead Turnpike, just before 11 p.m.  

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are not releasing his name until his family is notified. As of 12:30 p.m. Friday, Lack said police had still not located the victim's relatives and did not know whether or not he did have any family members living in the local area. 

Fenelon was arraigned late Friday morning in First District Court in Hempstead. He faces charges of second degree murder.

This is not Fenelon's first offense. Lack stated that he also has priors for second-degree robbery in 2001, a warrant arrest for violating his probation in March 2004 and a DWI arrest in 2009.

In the 2001 incident, Lack said Fenelon and another perpetrator stole a bicycle from a man. Similar to Thursday's attack, the victim was knocked to the ground, and Fenelon and his accomplice then punched and kicked him.