MECHANICVILLE, N.Y. -- Two people were arrested following the first homicide since 1997 in the Saratoga County city of Mechanicville.
Nikolai Mavashev, 19, and a 16-year-old, Joseph Broscko, are both charged with second-degree murder, according to police.
Police say David Feliciano was shot to death inside his Grove Street residence around 8:45 p.m. Monday. Officers said Feliciano recently moved to Mechanicville from Clifton Park. Feliciano was 19.
"It's sad. The saddest part, I think, of any law enforcement's job is to notify the family that their child has been killed. I feel an obligation to make it personal, so I go myself and make the notifications, and they were devastated," said Mechanicville Police Chief Joseph Waldron. "It's senseless, it's a senseless act.
'Why does my son have to die?' He doesn't, he shouldn't have died, and he did."
Our cameras were allowed inside as Mavashev faced a judge. Wearing a white jumpsuit and shackles, he pleaded not guilty. Troopers were later spotted at his Halfmoon residence, and were standing by at Broscko's home in Clifton Park.
State Police said more than 150 leads from the community poured in, and wanted to reassure people living in the small city that they are safe, but are otherwise keeping information about Mavashev, Broscko and their investigation close to the vest. The two suspects are described as acquaintances with Feliciano, and troopers said they are zeroing in on a motive.
"The main point here is that we want to reassure the community that we have the right people. We are confident we have the right people and there's no other people involved in the murder," said Captain Robert Patnaude of the New York State Police. "We're confident that they will be prosecuted and we will be successful doing that."
Residents and members of the Assumption Parish, feet from the Grove Street crime scene, expressed relief Thursday.
"There's a lot of ease here now from us and people living on the street," said church member and former Mechanicville mayor Anthony Joseph Sylvester.
Waldron said as a small-town police chief, he's grateful for the reinforcements.
"Mechanicville's small. I have 20 police officers. At the end of the day, we cannot go out there and knock on every door and follow every lead. We don't have labs at our disposal, whereas the state police brought in 20 investigators all by themselves," Waldron said.
State Police said the investigation continues, with the possibility of more arrests and search warrants, and more interviews to conduct.
Meanwhile, funeral services for Feliciano are set for Sunday from 12 - 2 p.m. at New Comer Funerals & Cremations in Watervliet.