News Flash

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, Horace Duke, age 23, of Wallkill, was sentenced to eighteen [18] years in prison, and five [5] years post-release supervision, in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 74-year-old man after a road rage incident on October 20, 2022.   On April 25, 2023, Duke was convicted after a jury trial of all the counts against him including Manslaughter in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree. Duke was remanded to the Orange County Jail after the verdict.  The District Attorney’s Office had recommended that Duke be sentenced to the maximum term twenty-five (25) years in prison.

As established at trial, Duke was involved in a motor vehicle accident with the victim, which escalated into a verbal argument in the vicinity of exit 119 of State Route 17 in the Town of Wallkill.  During the argument, Duke stabbed the victim once in the chest with a kitchen knife, puncturing the victim’s heart and causing his death.

An investigation was conducted by the Town of Wallkill Police Department, the New York State Police and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.  The case was presented to an Orange County Grand Jury which charged Duke with the crimes of Manslaughter in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree.  

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Assistant District Attorney Richard Giordano and Assistant District Attorney Jessica Sayre-Smith who prosecuted the case.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked all the law enforcement agencies who were involved for their investigation and the arrest of Duke. 

“The evidence at trial proved that this defendant fatally stabbed an unarmed and elderly man after their cars had been involved in a collision,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “Road rage is dangerous and can escalate into irreversible acts of violence. This defendant was aware that a passenger in his car was speaking to the police on a telephone and there was no reason for him to confront the victim with a knife. The loss of life in this case was both senseless and preventable.  My deepest condolences go out to the family and loved ones of the victim in this incident.   I commend the dedicated work of the police and prosecutors who saw that justice was done.”