Troy, NY --Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly announced today that, after a nearly two week trial, a Rensselaer County jury convicted Kevin Cox, 42, of two counts of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A-1 Felony in violation of Section 125.25 (2), one count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B Violent Felony in violation of Section 120.13(3) of the Penal Law of the state of New York. These charges stem from the February 11, 2020 death of six year old Davonte Paul of Lansingburgh.
District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly confirmed that according to the evidence, Davonte Paul was found after a 911 call by the mother that he had drowned in the bath tub, although no water was found in the child’s lungs.
“As proven at trial, Cox punished the child by forcing him to sit outside on a snow covered deck on a blistering cold February night. Cox left Davonte outside for hours which directly caused his death. This was a heartbreaking case and I applaud the jurors who sat through the difficult testimony and viewed evidence of the death of this child,” said District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hauf prosecuted the case and was investigated by the Troy Police Department.
Cox will be sentenced on May 18, 2022 at 9am before Hon. Debra J. Young in Rensselaer County Court and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life.