111 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
White Plains, NY 10601
Tel: (914) 995-3586
Fax: (914) 995-2116
March 19, 2013 -- Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that Michael Saunders
(DOB 07/10/62) of 361 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers, New York, was convicted today on all counts of the indictment charging him with:
- one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a class "A" Felony,
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class "C" Felony,
- one count of Assault, in the Second Degree, a class "D" Felony,
- one count of Reckless Endangerment, in the First Degree, a class "D" Felony,
relating to the death of Sabrina Durrah by shooting her in the head and chest and the abandonment of his four-month-old daughter.
On March 21, 2012 the defendant entered the apartment of Sabrina Durrah at 312 Main Street, in White Plains, after receiving a text that the victim had intended on filing papers in court for child support, regarding the 4 ½-month-old baby girl that they had in common.
The exchange ended with the victim shot twice, once in the back of the head.
The defendant also left the victim's four month old infant alone and unsupervised in the apartment, lying next to her murdered mother.
The infant was discovered by relatives on March 24, 2012.
White Plains Police were contacted and responded to the building initiated an investigation.
A neighbor reported hearing two gunshots and a baby crying between approximately 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.
Further investigation revealed surveillance cameras in various locations in and around the victims apartment building showing the defendant outside the victim's building, wearing a long sleeved hooded sweatshirt and gloves - despite the warm weather - as well as a hockey style mask on top of his head. When the defendant left the building the hockey mask now covered his face.
The defendant was arrested by White Plains police at his place of employment on March 26, 2012.
"As was shown at trial, this defendant was intent on eliminating two burdens, an emotional one and a financial one. The defendant planned and executed his scheme with cold calculation, murdering an ex-girlfriend and abandoning his own months old infant daughter at the feet of his victim," said District Attorney Janet DiFiore after the defendant was convicted.
Sentencing will be on June 25, 2013.
The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life in state prison.
Second Deputy District Attorney Patricia Murphy, Chief of the Superior Court Trial Division and Assistant District Attorney Wendy Parra, of the Superior Court Trial Division, are prosecuting the case.
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In compliance with Disciplinary Rule 7-107A of the Code of Professional Responsibility, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
