East Hampton Man Charged in Death of Kevin Somers

Following an autopsy this week, Suffolk County Police and East Hampton Town Police arrested Marc Dern on Thursday, February 10 for the killing of Kevin Somers.

Dern, 34, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter for his role in the death of 45-year-old Somers during a fight in Dern’s East Hampton home at 11 Lincoln Avenue on Saturday night, February 5.

“The defendant choked Kevin Somers by placing him in a headlock causing compression to the neck … which fractured the hyoid bone, causing is death,” police alleged in court papers. The fight reportedly broke out after the two men were watching golf together.

Prosecutors alleged Dern took an Uber to a wooded area with a backpack after the death occurred. Dern’s Miller Place-based attorney, John Ray, questioned the relevance of the allegation if no weapon was used in the death.

East Hampton Town Police officers had responded to a 911 call reporting the altercation between Dern and Somers at Dern’s home on Lincoln Avenue at 10:40 p.m. on February 5, police said. Somers was taken to Southampton Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Dern was not injured in the altercation, police said.

Dern was held overnight on Thursday. His bail was set at $500,000 cash, $1 million bond, or $2 million partially secured bond during his arraignment at Southampton Court on Friday, February 11, instead of East Hampton Town Court because Town Justice Steven Tekulsky recused himself from the case. Dern wore a hooded sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers as he made his initial court appearance.

Beloved by his community, Somers was a lifelong East Hampton local, growing up in Springs where he attended Springs School, before joining East Hampton High School’s class of 1994 and then Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina. He lived in Amagansett, worked as caddy master at the Maidstone Club and was proud of being a Bonacker.

A scholarship fund has been set up in Somers’ name, “to continue his legacy of sporting excellence for local student-athletes,” the Kevin Somers Scholarship Fund gofundme page explains. “All who knew Kevin were aware of his enthusiasm, compassion, dedication, and generosity towards family, friends, and community.” It had received more than $13,000 of its $50,000 goal as of this posting at 12:30 p.m. Friday, February 11. In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting a donation to The Kevin Somers Scholarship fund.

“Our family would like to thank everyone for the tremendous outpouring of love and affection during these difficult times,” they wrote on the scholarship page. Anyone preferring to send a check, please make it payable to: The Kevin Somers Scholarship Fund and mail it in care of Thomas Osborne, Esq., 135 Main Street, East Hampton, NY 11937.

Services for Somers will be held at Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton on Saturday, February 12 from 2–4 p.m. and 7–9 p.m. He will be buried at Cedar Lawn Cemetery on Cooper Lane in East Hampton on Sunday at noon with reception following at Springs Firehouse.

With reporting by Timothy Bolger