Staten Island man convicted of murder for fatally stabbing two children in 2016
WESTERLEIGH, Staten Island (WABC) -- The Richmond County District Attorney's office convicted a man who stabbed the mother of his child and her three daughters in a Staten Island hotel in 2016, killing the woman and two of the girls.
Michael Sykes was convicted Tuesday of two counts of murder in the first degree for fatally stabbing Ziana Cutler, 1, and Maliyah Sykes, 4 months.
The defendant was also convicted of attempted murder in the first degree for stabbing the victims' sister, Miracle Cutler, 2, during the same incident on February 10, 2016 inside the Ramada Inn on Staten Island.
Sykes was previously found guilty at trial in November 2017 of murder in the second degree for fatally stabbing his girlfriend Rebecca Cutler. He faced a retrial after a jury deadlocked on the charges with respect to the children.
"Today's conviction finally puts an end to this tragic ordeal and I hope provides some closure to the family and friends of the victims," District Attorney Michael E. McMahon said. "I would like to thank the jury for their service as well as ADAs Lisa Davis and Michael Tannousis for their tireless efforts in successfully prosecuting this case and ensuring the defendant spends the rest of his life in prison."
Sykes faces life in prison without parole when he is sentenced on Nov. 9.
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