POUGHKEEPSIE – Devin Taylor, the 26-year-old parolee who assassinated Darren Villani in August, was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison for the homicide. Taylor shot the Poughkeepsie resident during a planned robbery on Mansion Street. Dutchess County Court Judge Edward McLoughlin handed down the sentence after admonishing Taylor.
Taylor also played a role in the Courtyard Hotel murder of a Long Island man in October, with his accomplice, accused gunman Roy Johnson, Jr. Taylor entered a guilty plea in March to a felony weapons possession charge for his role in that murder. In an agreement with the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office, Taylor was sentenced to seven years in prison with five years of post-release supervision to be served concurrent to his murder sentence.
Roy Johnson, Jr. is scheduled for trial as the “Courtyard Killer” in May. He is also facing murder and robbery charges for his role in the death of Darren Villani. The District Attorney’s Office says that Johnson and Taylor planned the attack on Villani together.
At sentencing, the victim’s younger sister Talia called Villani an “amazing brother” and a “momma’s boy” and said he was “working to be the best dad he could for his baby.” Breaking down in tears, the young lady told Taylor, “you stole a lifetime of memories that he would have had with his child.” The emotions continued as the victim’s mother, voice broken up by crying, explained that she was unsure if she was going to speak at sentencing but then decided that Taylor needed to hear her. With Taylor looking at her with a blank stare, she said, “You need to see the pain you have caused – you need to see what you have done,” telling him “You killed a beautiful soul.”
Dutchess County Senior Assistant District Attorney chastised the defendant, describing his crime as a “violent, callous, and selfish act that ended the life of a loving, caring young man.” Taylor was…
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