The father of a New York woman who was murdered by her husband while five months pregnant told the court that the defendant committed the crime because he “wanted a boy.”
Drew Garnier, 33, pleaded guilty in March to the murder of his wife, Samantha Garnier, 29, who was pregnant with the couple’s third daughter when he stabbed her on September 4, 2024. Drew Garnier also stabbed his two young daughters, aged six and nine at the time, and pleaded guilty to two counts of assault.
As Law&Crime previously reported, New York State Police responded to a “domestic dispute” at the couple’s home in Masonville, New York, two days after Labor Day. Drew Garnier surrendered to police at the scene and was treated for minor injuries. Samantha Garnier was airlifted to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead. The two little girls were treated for stab wounds and later recovered.
In court on Thursday for Drew Garnier’s sentencing, Samantha Garnier’s father discussed a possible motive for his daughter’s murder while reading his victim impact statement, according to local CBS affiliate WBMG. He believed Drew Garnier was upset about the gender of the unborn child, telling the court that “he had wanted a boy.”
He went on to say that the couple’s young daughters had been traumatized by the horrific crime against their mother, and that “I am their father now.” “I’ll protect them.”
Drew Garnier requested permission to contact the daughters he admitted to stabbing while serving his sentence. Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith objected, requesting no-contact orders for as long as the law permitted. Judge John Hubbard agreed, but added that the girls could eventually choose to contact their father if they wanted.
Judge Hubbard issued a complete stay-away order for both girls until 2056. Drew Garnier reportedly declined to sign them. According to courtroom reports from the Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin, the judge told Drew Garnier, “You took a life and injured your children. They had the right to expect protection from you.”
Drew Garnier was sentenced to 30 years in prison and 15 years probation upon release, according to the terms of his plea agreement.
