Mom pleads for witnesses of her son's killer to come forward after Long Island house party
WEST BABYLON, Long Island (WABC) -- There are renewed calls for tips that could help solve the murder of a 29-year-old on Long Island.
A night out for Danie Philistin turned deadly in July of 2021. He was at a house party in West Babylon when he was shot and killed.
His heartbroken mother made a tearful plea Wednesday for someone to come forward to help find her son's killer.
"Please, please, Danie was everything to me, please help me, Danie was my only son," Marie Rosental said. "Danie was my everything. He loved his mother. He loved everybody. He was a good person."
Philistin, 29, a semi-pro football player for the Brooklyn Pharaohs, was shot and killed after a backyard pool party on Gordon Avenue on July 17.
On Wednesday, surrounded by Philistin's parents, brother, and football coach, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison released new details in the case.
"We believe that this case here has a lot of meat on the bone, but we are right there, we are a couple of steps away," Harrison said.
Detectives shared a new video of Philistin before he was killed. It shows him sitting down on the front stoop and his two friends, also semi-pro football players, along with two female friends of his friends.
Police say the two women told Philistin's friends they were harassed and groped by a man at the party. Detectives believe they confronted the man and his friend.
A fight broke out and Philistin tried to break it up when he was shot in the head.
Police say 200 people were at that party. Now Philistin's family and friends are asking for someone -- anyone -- to come forward.
"All of this thing about snitching and coding, I don't get it," family friend Khadijah Shakur said.
"If you're out there and you saw something, please say something because we have a grieving mother," Geffrey Souffrn said.
"Please, please I don't want to die without justice for my son," Ronsental said.
Philistin's coach said he will be remembered for his positive attitude and that he was a winner and a happy guy. He grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Alfred State and coached flag football for middle school students.
Suffolk County police announced a reward of up to $5,000. They are looking for anyone with information or who may have attended the party.
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