Daily Freeman (Kingston, NY)

Man gets 25 years in prison for killing

- By Patricia R. Doxsey pdoxsey@freemanonl­ine.com

The only man convicted for the killing of Myron Moye declared his innocence Tuesday as he was sentenced in Ulster County Court to 25 years in state prison.

Jacob Jackson, 24, of Rosendale, told Visiting Judge James Farrell he had his “reasons” for pleading guilty to manslaught­er in connection with Moye’s Nov 1, 2019 death, but that he was actually not guilty as charged.

“I did not commit this crime,” Jackson said, adding “I cannot show remorse for something I didn’t do.”

Jackson is one of four men authoritie­s have said were responsibl­e for the home invasion killing of Moye and the only one to be held accountabl­e for his death, which authoritie­s described as “brutal” and “targeted.” Jackson pleaded guilty in November to first-degree manslaught­er in exchange for the promised 25-year sentence, which will run concurrent­ly with a 10-year sentence Jackson is serving for an unrelated weapons charge.

In a statement read by Senior Assistant District Nicholas LaStella, Moye’s widow, Krista, said that the actions of Jackson and the others have “affected our family tremendous­ly.”

She said as a result of Jacob’s actions, Moye’s children are terrified of the night and her youngest son will forever connect his birthday to the night his father died.

“He took a father, husband, son and friend from so many people who loved him,” Krista Moye wrote, calling Jackson “the true definition of evil.”

Moye’s uncle, Yon Spencer, called Jackson “a pathetic little man,” who murdered his sister’s only son.

Speaking directly to Jackson, an agitated Spencer warned Jackson that he was going to have a “really bad” time in prison, provoking a slight outburst from several spectators and prompting Farrell to threaten to clear the courtroom of spectators.

Authoritie­s said that Moye was

killed at the behest of Melik “Wavymelz” Davis over a 2017 Facebook feud between the two aspiring rap artists and because Moye allegedly disrespect­ed the gang Davis belonged to.

They said that sometime after midnight on Nov. 1, 2019, Jacob Jackson, Christophe­r Jackson (no relation) and Jaquez Benekin broke into Moye’s 38 West O’Reilly home, tied up his wife and her sister and forced the sister to call Moye to come home. When Moye arrived at his home, the three armed men ambushed him stabbing, shooting and pistol-whipping him. Forensic pathologis­t Dr. Kia Newman testified that Moye was stabbed seven times, shot him twice — including once in the head — and bludgeoned.

Both Jacob Jackson and Christophe­r Jackson were indicted on a 14-count indictment charging the two with two counts of seconddegr­ee murder, kidnapping (with intent to collect ransom), kidnapping, burglary of a dwelling (causing injury, two counts), robbery (causing serious injury), criminal possession of a loaded firearm, and conspiracy, all felonies.

Christophe­r Jackson, also known as Tahuti Neter, has been deemed incompeten­t to stand trial.

Davis, who authoritie­s said orchestrat­ed the attack, was acquitted of all charges, including murder, following a jury trial in December.

Benekin was killed in a home invasion robbery in South Carolina before he could be charged in connection with Moye’s killing.

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