Bohemia Backyard Murderer Sentenced: Christopher Fernandez Jailed for 'Senseless' Killing of Michael Hartmann

A Suffolk judge has delivered a stern rebuke to Christopher Fernandez, 30, of Sound Beach, stating he should serve “no less than the maximum sentence” for the senseless murder of Michael Hartmann, a 49-year-old Bohemia father of four. Hartmann was gunned down in his own backyard in the early morning hours of November 2, 2022, by Fernandez and his codefendant, Oliver Schor, 24, who were mistakenly searching for stolen belongings they believed were in Hartmann's home.

Suffolk Supreme Court Justice Steven Pilewski condemned the act, telling Fernandez that he “cannot think of a more heinous act” than the shooting of the unarmed father. Pilewski emphasized that Hartmann was “senselessly shot while standing in his backyard, all because this defendant was under the nonsensical and incorrect belief that an occupant of the subject house had taken something from him.” Fernandez was subsequently ordered to serve 25 years to life in state prison.

Fernandez was convicted by a jury on March 6 of second-degree murder, attempted burglary, multiple gun charges, and a petit larceny he committed at a Manorville gas station before the shooting, for which he received concurrent sentences. The larceny involved stealing a ski mask, gloves, and a hat. Following Fernandez’s conviction, Oliver Schor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting to firing the fatal shots that killed Hartmann, and received an agreed-upon sentence of 22 years to life in prison.

Evidence presented at Fernandez’s trial revealed that he and Schor arrived at the Hartmann home around 6 a.m. after Fernandez used cellphone location technology to track items he claimed were stolen from him earlier that morning. Prosecutors clarified that Hartmann was a complete stranger to both men, and no one in his home possessed the items Fernandez believed were taken from him by two women during a series of drug-induced mishaps that began at a Medford hotel.

Investigators believe Hartmann was making coffee when he became aware of the two men attempting to enter his home from the backyard. A neighbor’s Ring camera captured the sound of three quick shots from an AR-15 rifle, followed by a 10-second delay, and then a fourth and final shot. Assistant District Attorney Frank Schroeder stated that investigators believed the unarmed Hartmann was attempting to get back into his house from his blood-stained deck when one of the fleeing men fired the final shot.

During sentencing, Schroeder addressed Fernandez, who was arrested over 18 months after the murder, urging him to look at a Hartmann family photograph. “I want you to see what you did,” Schroeder told him. Fernandez, after consulting with defense attorney Pierre Bazile, turned to view the image. Schroeder expressed his belief that Fernandez continues to “shift the criminal responsibility” for Hartmann’s death to Schor, asserting that Fernandez “drove the action that morning when he asked Schor, whom he knew to carry guns, to help him find his belongings. The reason we’re here is because of him and his total selfishness. He is responsible for the death of Michael Hartmann.”

Defense attorney Pierre Bazile countered Schroeder’s portrayal of his client as remorseless, reading a statement Fernandez made to the Suffolk County Probation Department expressing his sorrow. Fernandez also provided handwritten remarks, read by Bazile, which concluded, “I pray for your family and hope one day you can forgive me.” Schor, too, expressed remorse during his sentencing, telling the judge and the Hartmann family, “I’m sorry for what I’ve done and what I’ve caused. No one deserves to be going through what you’re going through.” Schor’s attorney, David Besso, noted that his client pleaded guilty to spare the family the ordeal of a second trial.

However, Brittany Hartmann, 26, Michael’s eldest daughter and a nurse, conveyed the family’s refusal to forgive either man. She spoke movingly of the profound personal and professional trauma she has endured since attempting to revive her father with CPR on the floor of their family home immediately after the shooting. “My family didn’t deserve to lose him and I did not deserve to watch my daddy die on the same foundation he built his family on,” she shared. Both Brittany and her mother, Kim Hartmann, described Michael as a dedicated carpenter who tirelessly protected and provided for his family. They highlighted his generous nature and the tragic loss of his presence in their lives. “He was the kind of man who worked hard, always put his family first, made people laugh — he supported others,” Kim Hartmann said. “The day we lost him, our lives were permanently changed. There is not a single day that goes by that we do not feel the weight of his absence.”

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison initially stated that the proximity of the shooters suggested Hartmann might have known them, although this was later disproven. Police confirmed Hartmann was shot one time in the upper part of his body and was able to crawl back into his house before dying. The shooting, which occurred about half a mile from a local elementary school, shocked the community. A note to parents from the Connetquot Central School District assured that it was an isolated incident with no threat to students or staff. Michael Hartmann, the youngest of five siblings, grew up on the South Shore, working in construction, and transformed his modest cottage into a comfortable family home. He was remembered by his sister Meredith as hardworking, strong, honest, and deeply in love with his wife of over 20 years.