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An upstate New York father originally from Lake Grove has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for stabbing and killing his pregnant wife and assaulting their two young daughters — a tragic case rooted in a motive reportedly tied to the man’s desire for a boy.
Drew J. Garnier, 33, of Masonville, New York, was sentenced on May 15 in Delaware County Court to 30 years in prison followed by 15 years of post-release supervision. Garnier admitted to repeatedly stabbing his pregnant wife, Samantha Garnier, and their two daughters during a domestic dispute on Sept. 4 at their Masonville home, according to a report by the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin.
Samantha Garnier and her unborn daughter died in the attack, while the couple’s two young daughters suffered serious injuries. Samantha Garnier, a Centereach High School graduate whose maiden name was Vernagallo, was five months pregnant when she was killed.
In court at the sentencing, her father, Gregory Vernagallo from Centereach, spoke before the court, sharing that the murder was motivated by Drew Garnier’s desire to have a son.
“He had wanted a boy,” the victim’s father said, according to reports.
The children, who have been adopted by their maternal grandfather, remain under his care.
‘I am their father now’
“I am their father now − I will protect them,” Gregory Garnier said in court.
Delaware County Court Judge John Hubbard denied Garnier’s request to contact the children but left open the possibility for future contact if the victims wish, issuing a no-contact order for the maximum term allowed by law, at the request of Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith.
Hubbard described Garnier’s actions as “incomprehensible,” saying, “You took a life and injured your children. They had a right to expect protection from you.”
Top photos: Facebook and GoFundMe.
