Stepfather charged with first-degree assault in girl’s shooting

MONTICELLO – Police Monday charged Isabelino Diaz, 55, with intentionally shooting his step-daughter Sunday night in their Livingston Manor home.

“He was arrested for assault in the first degree, which is a felony,” Sheriff Michael Schiff said. Diaz was arraigned and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.

The girl, Rebecca Matthews, sustained gunshot wounds to the neck and hand and is in stable condition at Westchester County Medical Center, Schiff said Monday.

The sheriff said the girl’s mother, Janine Matthews, was in another room when Diaz apparently intentionally shot the 16-year-old girl during an argument.

He termed it, “Just a disagreement. We’re not sure exactly what it was about. That is still under investigation.”

Diaz fled the scene, but was apprehended within an hour or so in Fallsburg without anyone else being injured. Schiff credited inter-agency cooperation between the State Police, Sheriff’s Office, Fallsburg Police, EnCon Police and Lumberland Constables for arresting Diaz without incident.

Diaz is being held in the Sullivan County Jail without bail pending a future court appearance.

Additional charges may be filed when the case goes to the grand jury, the sheriff said.

The weapon used in the shooting has not been recovered; however, a bullet was recovered from the girl’s hand and is being examined by the State Police Crime Lab.