Charges upgraded to murder for shooter's stepfather in killing of Mount Vernon teen

A Mount Vernon man has pleaded guilty in last year's fatal shooting of a teenager, and his stepfather whose gun it was has been indicted again and is now facing a murder charge in the case.

Tyrese Coghiel, 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the March 9, 2023, killing of 14-year-old Zyaire Fernandez in the courtyard of the Levister Towers apartment buildings.

A new indictment charges his stepfather, Phillip Ferrell, with second-degree murder although authorities have not said what new information led to the charges against him being upgraded. He pleaded not guilty Friday at his arraignment in Westchester County Court.

Tara Williams, Zyaire's mother, was in court, as were the lead Mount Vernon detectives on the case. She spoke afterwards of satisfaction that Coghiel accepted responsibility and was glad Ferrell now faces a murder charge so everyone responsible for her son's death can be held accountable.

"He was just 14 and he didn't even get to live a life," she said. "I miss my son. All I want is justice for Zyaire."

Fernandez was shot once in the back following a confrontation - and his mother said he was trying to diffuse a fight between Coghiel and someone who was with her son.

Ferrell and Coghiel were arrested within days of the shooting and indicted two months later. But Ferrell only faced charges of weapon possession, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence after allegedly taking the gun from Coghiel after the shooting and putting it in his Yonkers apartment.

Coghiel told detectives at the time that he got the gun from Ferrell’s car after he was confronted by Fernandez and others, two of whom were armed, but did not recall shooting Fernandez before running away.

The murder charge against Ferrell accuses him of aiding and abetting Coghiel in the killing. His new lawyer, Courtney McGowan, is still reviewing evidence from the initial indictment and awaiting additional discovery material from the new one.

Coghiel's guilty plea in February was not publicized and it was unclear whether he testified when the case was submitted to a new grand jury. His lawyer, Jean Robert Auguste, declined to comment.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Shooter's stepfather charged with murder of Mount Vernon NY teen