2 Arrested In Slaying Of Long Island Father Gunned Down In SUV

PLAINVIEW, NY — Two Long Island men have been arrested in the shooting death of a Plainview father who was gunned down while sitting in his SUV.

Douglas Coudrey, 22, of Eastport, and Kenneth Regan, 21, of Centereach, were arrested in the slaying of Justin Gottlieb, Nassau County police announced Thursday. Coudrey and Regan are also accused of shooting a Bronx man to death on Interstate 80 near Lodi, New Jersey, prosecutors in that state said.

As Patch previously reported, Gottlieb, 27, was shot outside a Margaret Drive East home on the evening of Jan. 14. Police called it a targeted attack, possibly stemming from a case of road-rage. Gottlieb later died at a hospital.

Coudrey and Regan face charges of second-degree murder and were expected to appear Thursday in 1st District Court in Hempstead.

Gottlieb attended Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School and later graduated from SUNY Farmingdale in 2014, according to his Facebook profile. Within hours of his slaying, tributes and donations poured in from members of the community. A GoFundMe account created to help the family has raised more than $117,000. Patch has verified the authenticity of the account.

"We lost a son, a brother, a cousin, a nephew, a grandson, a friend, but most importantly a future husband and new dad to our sweet and beautiful Lauren and Coco," the GoFundMe post said. "Nothing in the world can take away our pain and suffering, but any bit of help no matter how small or big can lessen the burden on his beautiful little family that he was taken from way too soon."

Gottlieb was remembered as "wonderful young man" who had his whole life ahead of him.

"Our hearts hurt for the entire family but especially his young daughter who will never get to know her incredible Dad," one GoFundMe poster wrote.

Two weeks ago, Bergen County prosecutor Mark Musella announced that Regan and Coudrey had been charged with murder, attempted murder and weapons offenses in a deadly shooting in New Jersey.

In the early morning hours of Jan. 18, New Jersey state troopers received reports of gunfire on I-80 near Lodi. Police found a black 2019 Honda Civic in the middle lane; driver Luis Perez, 27, died at the scene with gunshot wounds to his neck and chest.

A 24-year-old front seat passenger who was shot in the chest was rushed to a hospital in critical but stable condition. A third male in a rear passenger seat was not hurt.

Investigators were led to Coudrey's home in Eastport. On Jan. 22, detectives watching the home said they saw the duo leave the home with a third male and drive away. When detectives tried to pull the car over, the car sped off and soon crashed into a fence, authorities said. All three were taken into custody.

A search of Coudrey's home revealed a loaded, defaced .22-caliber rifle that had been altered to be used as a submachine gun, authorities said. A sawed-off shotgun was also seized, authorities said.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.