Drive-by murder victim’s brother also killed in drive-by shooting

NEWBURGH – Newburgh City Police said Wednesday that Jeffrey Zachary, 15, who was killed by a drive-by shooter late Tuesday night on Dubois Street, was the brother of Trent Zachary, who also fell victim to a drive-by shooting some three years ago.

Trent Zachary, 19, was killed on City Terrace in Newburgh, when a vehicle drove by and a gunman opened fire.

The motive for Jeffrey Zachary’s murder is unclear at this time, police said. It may have been the result of an argument the night before in the area of 27 Dubois Street where the shooting occurred.

Several cameras owned by the City of Newburgh and St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, located just a half a block away from the scene of the crime, are currently being reviewed by the Newburgh City Police Department with hopes that they will possibly show the act itself, or at least give police a vehicle description, said Chief Eric Paolilli.

“I’m confident that if they traveled north or south on Dubois Street that we have them on some footage,” said Paolilli. “Now whether we have pedestrian traffic or vehicular traffic still needs to be seen, and obviously we have to view all of that now in real time to make sure we are not missing anything.”

Jeffrey Zachary of 30 Dubois Street, described by his Aunt Genevieve at the scene of the crime as a “good boy not into drugs, very involved in school, and had many friends,” was the victim of the shooting, which occurred right across from his home, just before police were called to the scene at 10:20 Tuesday evening.

“It’s a senseless act. He was so young. It just doesn’t make sense,” said the grieving woman.

A Mobile Life ambulance coming from St. Luke’s was flagged down by neighbors shortly after the shooting, according to Paolilli. The youth was pronounced dead at the hospital one hour later.

Paolilli said detectives are currently working on several interrogations, but that no one has been yet labeled a suspect.

He also hinted that detectives are working on a theory that the incident may have something to do with a verbal argument that occurred at that location a few nights ago.

Jeffrey’s older brother Trent was also the victim of a drive-by shooting three years ago, and just a block away on City Terrace.

Detectives are urging anyone with information on unusual vehicles or pedestrians in that corridor Tuesday night to contact the police directly at 845-561-3131.