Crime & Safety
Nassau Man Gets Life In Prison For Brutal Murder Of Grandmother
Benjamin Lopez hacked the 73-year-old woman to death with a machete when she found him robbing her home in 2017.
LEVITTOWN, NY — A Nassau County man was sentenced today to life in prison for the brutal murder of a 73-year-old grandmother in 2017.
Benjamin Lopez, 27, of Levittown, was convicted on June 30 of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree assault, second-degree robbery, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. He was sentenced today to life in prison without parole.
“Benjamin Lopez was after one thing when he broke into a Levittown home five years ago: revenge,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Lopez, looking to steal a former friend’s money and drugs, took his rage out on Laraine Pizzichemi, hacking her to death with a machete in a fit of ruthless violence. Laraine was still weakened from a fight with pancreatic cancer when she was attacked, and unable to defend herself from Lopez’s blows. This vicious killer showed no remorse and will now pay for his crimes with a life sentence.”
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According to Donnelly, on Sept. 13, 2017, Lopez and his partner, Deangelo Gill, broke into a home on Newbridge Road in Levittown to seek revenge on Mark Depperman. They planned to steal his marijuana and money.
Once inside the house, they ran into Depperman's grandmother, 73-year-old Laraine Pizzichemi. Lopez hacked her to death with a machete, then the two went through the home looking for money and drugs.
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Depperman returned home while Gill and Lopez were still there. The two attacked him, and Lopez slashed his arm with a machete. He also threatened Depperman with a handgun, demanding money from a safe. Depperman opened the safe, and the two took cash and marijuana.
Officials say Depperman was able to call 911 before his phone was taken and smashed on the ground, but the call went through. Lopez and Gill fled out the back door of the house as police responded. They fled to Lopez's house, which was around the corner. They were both arrested as they tried to flee in Lopez's car.
Gill pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Dec. 4, 2019. He was sentenced to 17 years to life in prison.
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