Dutchess County Chief Assistant District Attorney, Matthew A. Weishaupt, announced today that Roy
A. Johnson, Jr. was sentenced for the crimes of Murder in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession
of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree and
Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree in connection with the murder of Paul J. Kutz on October
02, 2022 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Poughkeepsie. Dutchess County Court Judge Edward T.
McLoughlin sentenced Johnson to 25 years to life on the charge of Murder in the Second Degree, 15
years plus 5 years’ post-release supervision on two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in
the Second Degree, 3½ to 7 years on the charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third
Degree and 3½ to 7 years on the charge of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, with each
sentence to run consecutively, for a total of 58½ years to life in prison. Johnson was sentenced to 15
years in prison plus 5 years’ post-release supervision on an additional count of Criminal Possession
of a Weapon in the Second Degree, which must run concurrently under the facts of this case. Chief
Assistant District Attorney Weishaupt said: “The Kutz family has been devasted in a way that we
cannot comprehend nor change, but we hope this sentence will in some small way provide the family
with the ability to move forward.”
Chief Assistant District Attorney Weishaupt praised the cooperation and work of the law enforcement
agencies involved from the outset. The Town of Poughkeepsie Police, who headed the investigation,
worked seamlessly with the Troop K State Police Forensic Investigations Unit, the Dutchess County
Sheriff’s Office, the Safe Streets Task Force, the City of Poughkeepsie Police, the United States
Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, other responding law enforcement agencies,
and members of our District Attorney’s Office both at the scene and in the months that followed.
Weishaupt further stated that “it is this collaborative team effort that led to this verdict and sentence.
This effort never waned despite outside pressures. Everyone involved in this case deserves a great
deal of credit for remaining focused on the task at hand; it was truly an outstanding job.”
Weishaupt praised Bureau Chiefs Kristine Whelan and Robert Knapp, Deputy Bureau Chiefs Angela
LoPane and Aviv Segal, Crime Analyst Andrea Tegtmeier and the team of ADAs, investigators and
support staff for their dedicated and exceptional work in preparing this case for Grand Jury and trial.
The Discovery process involved in this case was unprecedented and took more than six months to
fully compile and turn over as required by law.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Weishaupt also said: “Due to the egregious facts of this case, as
well as the immeasurable loss and trauma inflicted on the victims, my office recommended the
maximum penalty allowable under the law. We are extremely pleased that Judge McLoughlin
sentenced the defendant in accordance with our recommendation.”
Mr. Johnson still faces felony murder and robbery charges in the August 09, 2022 murder of Darren J.
Villani in the City of Poughkeepsie.
