Year In Review - FBI, Suffolk Police Partner To Find Gary Melius’ Shooter

By Andrew Wroblewski

awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Gary Melius is shown in a Feb. 24, 2015 video statement to the press in which he reflects on the one-year anniversary of being shot outside of Oheka Castle, his home.

The hunt for the person who shot Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius in the head outside of the luxury Huntington hotel and catering hall, his home, more than two years ago continued in 2016.

Suffolk police and the FBI confirmed on Feb. 24 that they had partnered to investigate the botched assassination.

The partnership was initiated by then-new Suffolk Police Commissioner Timothy Sini, who was appointed to his position following the resignation and arrest of James Burke. Burke resigned in October 2015; he was arrested in December of that year. Sini said he reassessed the department and its major open cases. The attempted murder of Melius was the second high-profile case to garner FBI involvement; the first was the Gilgo Beach murders.

Suffolk police also this year released a surveillance video that depicts the shooting of Melius on Feb. 24, 2014.

FBI involvement came after Melius said he made multiple attempts via email to contact Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and ask for a fresh look into the case. Melius told Long Islander News late last year that he spoke with Bellone in October 2015, but that the county executive did not immediately respond to his pleas to bring in the FBI.

Reached by phone Wednesday, Melius said he still not has heard from Bellone regarding the case.

Melius continues to offer a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who tried to kill him.

He said that he has not heard any updates on the case from Suffolk police, nor the FBI.

“It’s frustrating,” Melius added.