Hudson Valley Man Who Murdered 19-Year-Old Receives Sentence

NEWBURGH, NY — A Newburgh man who fatally shot a 19-year-old college student in 2019 was sentenced Tuesday to prison without the possibility of parole.

Cornelius Stubbs, 51, of Newburgh, was also sentenced to an additional 25 years to life to run consecutively to the life sentence, according to Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler.

Stubbs, who shot and killed Chelsea Debidin of Walden, was convicted by a jury May 24 of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Prosecutors said Stubbs broke into the New Windsor home of the uncle of one of his children in September 2019, shooting and seriously injuring the man and fatally shooting Debidin.

Police said Debidin was in the apartment visiting Stubbs' uncle, who was her boyfriend.

Prosecutors said that Stubbs' co-defendant — Carlos Rivera, 49, of Newburgh — who pleaded guilty to all 10 counts he was facing, including first-degree murder, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.

At sentencing, more than 40 friends and family members were present, as well as numerous members of law enforcement representing the Town of New Windsor Police Department and the New York State Police.

Hoovler said the two men deserve every single day of the sentences that were imposed.

"While the hard-fought convictions and sentences will not bring back the victim in this case," he said, "I hope that the victims' families and loved ones will be afforded a measure of closure."