A family dispute in Yonkers ended in a murder conviction Friday, as a Westchester County jury found John Singh, 55, guilty in the fatal stabbing of his 78-year-old brother-in-law inside a Bronx River Road apartment. Singh was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter in the November 2024 killing and remains held at the Westchester County Jail ahead of a July 17 sentencing in Westchester County Court.
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced the verdict Friday, according to Yonkers Times. The outlet reports the case was prosecuted by Trial Division Deputy Chief Lana Hochheiser and Assistant District Attorney Brianna Ciuffi. “Bernard Barua’s life mattered,” Cacace said, according to the report.
How the attack unfolded
Yonkers Police say officers were called around 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 16, 2024, to an apartment at 760 Bronx River Road. At the entrance, they found Singh with a stab wound, and inside a bedroom they discovered the victim, Bernard Barua, unconscious in a bed with a stab wound to the chest. Both men were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Barua later died from his injuries, according to a Yonkers Police Department news release. Detectives from the Major Case Squad, along with the Digital Forensics and Crime Scene Units, led the follow-up investigation.
Prosecutors, verdict and what's next
Singh was convicted on June 5 and now faces a potential sentence of up to 25 years to life when he returns to court for sentencing on July 17 before Judge Maurice Williams, according to Daily Voice. The outlet also reports that Singh remains in the custody of the Westchester County Jail. The case is expected to be formally addressed at the July hearing, when prosecutors will lay out their recommendation on punishment.
Legal details
Singh’s convictions on Murder in the Second Degree and Manslaughter in the First Degree carry significant prison exposure, and prosecutors said they will seek a long term at sentencing, according to Yonkers Times. Detectives have said the two men were alone inside the apartment when the stabbing occurred, per a Yonkers Police Department news release.
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