By Ivan Pereira
Although Suffolk County prosecutors say a Middle Village man murdered and mutilated two suspected Long Island drug dealers, his good friend is claiming police have the wrong man.
Darren Lynch, 28, of 79-42 68th Ave., was arraigned on second-degree murder charges in the deaths of two men who allegedly sold him illegal substances, the Suffolk County district attorney's office said.
Edward Dwyer, 21, of Rego Park, who said he was good friends with Lynch for a year, defended the former Long Island resident, who he claimed was not a violent person.
“This is an innocent man. It's impossible that this man would do something like this,” Dwyer said.
Lynch's attorney, Paul Barahal, did not return repeated calls for comment.
The incident began July 16, after Joseph Odierno, 35, of 257 Radio Ave. in Miller Place, L.I., and his friend, C.W. Post College student Jairo Santos, 22, were reported missing by police, the DA's office said.
Although the Suffolk County DA's office did not disclose how the two men were connected to Lynch, the New York Post reported they allegedly tricked Lynch into buying $20,000 worth of cocaine that really was sugar and baking soda.
Lynch subsequently drove Odierno and Santos to his Middle Village apartment, shot them in the head in revenge and cut up their corpses in the bathroom, according to police. He then disposed the remains in a sump in Suffolk County and another area located behind his deaf mother's house on Long Island, police said.
Lynch's friend said that this alleged criminal life was unimaginable. The two had been workout partners at the New York Sports Club gym at the Shops at Atlas Park for more than a year and hung out occasionally for some beers.
Dwyer, who said he was at the arraignment hearing last week, said Lynch liked teaching young people how to stay in shape and was close with his parents.
“He looked very confused [at the arraignment]. They got an innocent man sitting up in there,” he said.
Police say otherwise and claim they have plenty of evidence to prove it.
Officers raided and searched Lynch's residence July 30 and uncovered several handguns and rifles, an AK-47, ammunition and several containers of cocaine, heroin and marijuana, according to police. They arrested Lynch and his live-in girlfriend, Leah Reynolds, 22, the next day and Lynch allegedly confessed to mutilating the Long Island men, according to police.
Prosecutors claim Reynolds hid the handguns used in the murder and indicted her on hindering prosecution charges. She was ordered to be held on $500,000 bail while Lynch was remanded without bail, according to the DA's office.
Lynch was expected to appear before a judge Wednesday, after press time, for a hearing, a spokeswoman for the DA's office said. If convicted, he faces two consecutive 25-year-to-life prison sentences.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
