A Queens landlord who “mercilessly slaughtered” his gal pal and two tenants, claiming he was below “plenty of strain,’’ was hit with three life sentences Tuesday — after balking at a plea deal.
David Daniel, 56, was convicted final month of fatallly slashing the throat of live-in girlfriend Coleen Fields and in addition killing basement tenants Wayne Thomas and Evette Sweeney at his St. Albans house Nov. 14, 2023.
He informed reporters he slaughtered the harmless trio as a result of he had plenty of strain on him — however he claimed to cops he murdered them as a result of he was “having points” along with his girlfriend and the tenants had been behind on their lease, law-enforcement sources have support.
Regardless of being given the prospect, Daniel by no means apologized to the victims’ households in courtroom.
He additionally beforehand turned down a plea deal that might have sentenced him to 33 years — a call that the choose scoffed was attributable to the “Rikers Island Bar Affiliation.”
“You might want to come to phrases with the evil that resides within you — individuals over right here speaking about God and all that. I’m speaking about evil,” Queens Supreme Courtroom Justice Kenneth Holder seethed at Daniel as he threw the guide at him.
“And I’m certain there’s a particular place in hell for somebody such as you.”
Thomas’ sister, Petula Thomas, stated in courtroom Tuesday, “The super ache, grief and devastation we felt on the lack of Wayne is additional compounded by the truth that his dying was so tragic and got here by the hands of a demonic, self-centered, insecure, and funky hearted narcissist.
“We will solely think about how Wayne struggled to remain alive as he choked on his personal blood,” she stated. “Think about in his final second how a lot ache he should’ve suffered, along with the ache of their life as his girlfriend, Evette, in mattress was been butchered in the identical trend.”
In courtroom Tuesday, Sweeney’s daughter,” Charlene McKenzie, wept as addressed her mother’s violent dying.
“You didn’t take a life, you destroyed a household,” she stated. “My mom was greater than a sufferer, she was a daughter, a buddy, a grandmother, a sister and my mom. She was sort of one that lit up a room when she walked into her. Interval.
“As her solely youngster I by no means think about I must navigate this life with out mom,” she added. “There are recollections that can by no means be made.” This grief by no means ends.”
Holder exploded at Daniel when he whined {that a} probation report made him look dangerous.
“Make you look dangerous? You killed three individuals. You stabbed a disabled girl to dying in her bed room whereas she was sleeping. What will get worse than that?” he snapped. “In what universe do you assume you possibly can try this? After which what, go house? What are you considering?”
Daniel wore brown jail garb in courtroom, glasses and a salt-and-pepper beard.
Simply hours after the deadly stabbings, he calmly walked into the 113th Precinct stationhouse and informed the desk officer, “I did one thing dangerous.” He gave cops his handle and stated he left the again door unlocked.
Prosecutors stated he was later provided a plea deal in trade for a sentence of 33 years to life however turned it down — dangerous recommendation in hindsight that the choose attributed to the “Rikers Island Bar Affiliation.”
