Man stabbed to death while walking home from work

MIDDLETOWN –Robert Kwiatkowski was a well respected, soft-spoken gentleman, a resident of the City of Middletown. He was stabbed to death while walking home from work at “What A Store” just down the road in the Town of Wallkill.

Kwiatkowski, 59, was found on a sidewalk on Wickham Avenue near Wisner Avenue at about 9:40 p.m. Wednesday night and police theorize he was attacked by one or more persons in what could have been a botched robbery, before he was stabbed in the neck by a sharp object.

Police Chief Matthew Byrne described the victim as a “good citizen” of the city, who was a divorced father of two teenage children. He was attending college to become a history teacher and enlisted in the Army to serve in the Vietnam war.

He had apparently left work around 9 p.m. and walked for about 15 minutes before he was attacked, Byrne theorized. He lost a tremendous amount of blood, continued to walk a little farther, before he collapsed and died half on the sidewalk and half on the street.

At least two motorists saw him lying there and called police to report it.

Police are asking anyone with information on what occurred to call them at 845-343-3151. All calls will be kept confidential.