Spring Valley man arrested for murder

On January 1, 2016 at 12:49 AM the New York State Police, Town of Crawford Police and other area agencies responded to a 911 call reporting a stabbing at a large party at 55 Paddock Drive in the Town of Crawford.  As the party progressed, several fights began to break out.  Justin E. Speights, age 20, a graduate of Pine Bush High School, and four year Firefighter with the Silver Lake Fire Department, attempted to break up a fight and was stabbed multiple times and killed.

During the nearly year-long investigation, the State Police followed hundreds of potential leads, interviewed more than 250 persons, secured and forensically examined evidence, and executed search warrants in both New York and New Jersey. Investigators also traveled to several states as the investigation dictated.

On December 8, 2016 the New York State Police arrested JUANTAE BROWN, age 20, of Spring Valley, New York.  BROWN was charged with Murder in the Second Degree.  BROWN was arraigned in the Town of Crawford Court and remanded to Orange County Jail pending a future court appearance.

The State Police were assisted by Town of Crawford Police Department, State University Police at Delhi, Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Village of Spring Valley Police Department, the Town of Ramapo Police Department, the Westwood (NJ) Police Department, the Broward County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, and the Silver Lake, Pine Bush, Bullville, and Circleville Fire Departments.

The State Police would like to thank the Speights family and the Silver Lake Fire Department for their patience, cooperation, and understanding during this lengthy investigation.