A New York man accused of murdering his pregnant wife and stabbing their two daughters was sentenced this week.
Drew Garnier, 33, will serve 30 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter and two counts of first-degree assault.
According to a summary of the proceedings released by the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, only one victim impact statement was read in court prior to the sentencing. It came from Garnier’s former father-in-law, who stated that his daughter Samantha was murdered by her husband because “he wanted a boy.”
Samantha, who was 29 years old and five months pregnant when her husband brutally stabbed her to death, already knew that the couple’s third child would be a girl.
Garnier’s father-in-law stated in court that his two granddaughters have a new father after he adopted them.
“I am their father now,” he said. “I will protect them.”
According to the New York State Police, Garnier was arrested on September 5, 2024, after officers responded to a report of a domestic dispute at his Centerville home.
The NYSP reported that all three females inside the home had multiple stab wounds and were treated by state troopers while waiting for EMTs to arrive.
Due to the severity of their injuries, all three females were airlifted to hospitals, according to a NYSP press release at the time.
Samantha was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, but the two girls eventually survived.
The Delaware County District Attorney’s Office acknowledged that the trauma experienced by those two young girls contributed to Garnier’s ability to reach an agreement that resulted in a far more lenient sentence.
District Attorney Shawn J. Smith stated at the sentencing that, while he did not think the plea deal between prosecutors and Garnier was ideal, he wanted to spare the defendant’s two daughters from having to go through a lengthy trial and instead allow them to “focus on recovering from their ordeal.”
The judge barred Garnier from contacting his daughters until 2056, though the girls can petition the court to amend the order if they ever want to speak with their father.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org.
