Ridge Resident Sentenced To Decades In Prison Following Fatal Shooting Over Financial Dispute In Moriches

James Quininchetta receives 23 years to life for the 2025 killing of Rebecca Roth in Moriches. The murder was reportedly over a $1,500 debt.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 5:14 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from News 12 Long Island

Judicial Conclusion To A Violent Debt Dispute

A 41 year old Ridge man received a sentence of 23 years to life in prison on Wednesday for the killing of his former partner. James Quininchetta appeared before a Suffolk County judge following his January guilty plea for the murder of Rebecca Roth. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney confirmed the sentencing, marking the end of a legal process that began shortly after the fatal encounter in mid 2025. Prosecutors highlighted that the violence stemmed from a specific financial disagreement that escalated into a lethal assault at a local apartment complex.

The Fatal Encounter At Moriches Apartment Complex

The investigation revealed that on June 6, 2025, Quininchetta traveled to Roth’s residence in Moriches with the explicit intent of collecting a debt totaling $1,500. When Roth refused to provide the funds, Quininchetta produced a firearm and discharged seven rounds into her vehicle while she was still inside. Roth’s mother later discovered her daughter’s body the following morning while she was departing for work. Family members noted that the couple had only been involved for approximately three months before Roth ended the relationship, a detail that provided context to the sudden and extreme nature of the violence.

Evidence Recovery And The Suspect’s Surrender

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Quininchetta fled the scene, but the pressure of the investigation led him to surrender to law enforcement the following day. During a search of the surrounding area, police recovered a handgun discarded in a nearby parking lot, along with spent shell casings and empty ammunition packaging. These physical links, combined with the suspect’s admission of guilt in early 2026, streamlined the prosecution's case. The recovery of the weapon and forensic evidence at the scene provided a clear narrative of the ballistic events that led to Roth's death.