Guilty Plea In 2 Long Island Slayings, 'A Selfish And Inexplicable Act Of Violence': DA

RIVERSIDE, NY — A Ronkonkoma man pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter, and other related charges in connection with killing two men in a Selden home back in April 2022, Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said Wednesday.

On April 26, 2022, Ian Saalfield, 45, of Lake Grove, was reported missing by his wife, and she advised police that she last saw her husband the day before with Brian Cordovano, his childhood friend, according to prosecutors.

Saalfield’s wife saw her husband leave their home with Cordovano at around 8 p.m., driving off in Saalfield’s white 2015 Lexus, but he never returned home, prosecutors said, adding that a few days later, on May 2, 2022, police found Saalfield’s car abandoned in a parking lot in Holtsville.

On that same day, police responded to a call from a Ronkonkoma motel where Cordovano was suffering from an overdose, prosecutors said.

While Cordovano was being taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, Suffolk police were able to link a silver 2004 Toyota Corolla left in the motel parking lot to Cordovano, and a registration check revealed it belonged to Robert Julian, 59, of Selden, according to prosecutors.

Police responded to Julian’s home and found the bodies of Saalfield and Julian inside, each dead due to gunshot wounds to the head, and investigators later determined that Cordovano killed the pair on April 25, 2022, prosecutors said.

Tierney described the murders as "a selfish and inexplicable act of violence."

“I hope that this plea provides a measure of comfort to the victims’ families and friends as they continue to mourn these unnecessary and tragic losses," he said. "With this conviction, the victim’s families will be spared the further pain and anxiety of a trial, while ensuring that the community is protected from any further crimes by this defendant.”

In addition to the two counts of manslaughter, Cordovano, 50, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

He is due back in court for sentencing on Nov. 20, and faces an agreed-upon
sentence of 30 years in prison.

Patch has reached out to his attorney, Christopher Gioe of Hauppauge, for comment.