A Long Island teenager was sentenced to more than a decade in prison for the deadly stabbing of a 15-year-old at a house party.
Aiden Zachary stood before a Suffolk County judge to face the consequences of the killing Liam Delemo. The 18-year-old from Syosset had previously been convicted in the deadly stabbing at a house party in West Babylon on Nov. 3, 2025.
The sentencing came exactly a year and a day after Delemo was killed.
"If you feel you need a weapon to go somewhere stay home,” Assistant District Attorney Sheetal Shetty, of the Homicide Bureau, said in court. "A split second can destroy lives. A bad decision in one moment, can cause someone their life and it can ruin families."
Filing into the courtroom were two families on opposite sides: Zachary’s family on one side, Delemo’s family on the other. The courtroom was packed with family and supporters, so much so that an overflow courtroom was needed.
Judge Karen Kerr gave Zachary an opportunity to address the court.
"I’m sorry for what happened. I live with regret every day for what I did. I wish I could take it back and I offer my condolences to the family," said Zachary.
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Delemo’s cousin William spoke at the sentencing, saying he saw Liam for the last time at his wedding just days earlier. His mother, Hope, spoke about her son, saying "part of our hearts died with him."
"The pain does not go away, it follows us everywhere. We miss the simple things that most people take for granted," said Hope Delemo.
For the first time at the sentencing, we learned Zachary’s side of what happened the night of the party and according to his defense attorney, these mitigating factors played a part in reducing his charge from murder to manslaughter.
"Aiden didn’t go to the party to cause trouble,” said attorney Jacob Kaplan. “Nothing violent was happening until other kids approached Aiden and his group."
Kaplan says the party was advertised on social media, with more than 100 kids in a backyard hanging out and drinking alcohol at the house in West Babylon. Zachary and his friends went to the party and were asked to leave.
"As Aiden and his friends were leaving the party, being pushed out of the party, other kids were throwing drinks and other stuff at them as they left," said Kaplan. "The mitigating factors also include the fact that Aiden did not start any physical altercation that night, but unfortunately, his actions caused Liam's death."
The knife was never recovered and according to Zachary's attorney, Ring camera footage from the house was deleted, which could have been key evidence.
The judge sentenced Zachary to 12 years in prison, marking the end of a painful chapter for the Delemo family.
"I still don’t know the whole story or the whole truth," said Hope Delemo. "Maybe one day we’ll get it all, but for now this is one step in closure for us."
"Just a little bit of closure I guess,” said Mike Delemo, Liam’s father, of Wednesday's sentencing. "Every day goes by, I miss my son more and more. I just hope his friends learn to make the right decisions."