Troy man sentenced to 27 to life
Johnny Oquendo receives maximum term in killing of 21-year-old stepdaughter Noel Alkaramla in 2015
TROY, N.Y. » After several delays, Johnny Oquendo was sentenced Monday morning in Rensselaer County Court to 27 years to life in prison for the murder of Noel Alkaramla in 2015.
Oquendo was convicted on Nov. 17 of second-degree murder, criminal obstruction of breathing and unlawful concealment of a corpse.
Jurors took less than three hours to determine Oquendo beat, strangled and suffocated his 21-year- old stepdaughter Al- karamla to death in his 3rd Street apartment on Nov. 22, 2015, shortly after a co-worker said he dropped Alkaramla off near Oquendo’s apartment.
Alkaramla’s body was pulled from inside a suitcase in the Hudson River nearly five weeks after
her disappearance near the USS Slater in Albany.
On Monday, Oquendo, who was granted permission last week to represent himself during sentencing, again asked for a delay in sentencing, but Judge Andrew Ceresia denied the request.
Oquendo also objected four of the people’s exhibits, claiming the exhibits are hearsay but after a recess, Ceresia denied all of the objections. Ceresia also had ruled that Oquendo would be sentenced as a second felony offender, since he previously served time in prison for a robbery.
Before being sentenced, Oquendo listened to a victim impact statement from Alkaramla’s mother, Debra Napoli.
“I would like the people of New York to understand
what [Oquendo] has done, he brutally murdered my baby who was 21-years- old and at the beginning of her life,” said Napoli, who was not allowed in the courtroom during trial after being subpoenaed by the defense as a witness, but was never brought in to take the witness stand during trial.
“[Oquendo] took away my only daughter, who I named Noel because I was told I couldn’t have children, she was a gift to me so I named her Christmas because she was Christmas to me everyday ... This man should never be let out of prison.”
“This crime was not just the taking of a life, but it was done in brutal fashion, someone who was close to the defendant, and he took her life via a shopping bag tied around her neck ... he [then] folds her up into a suitcase and dumps her in the Hudson River like she’s trash,” added Assistant District Attorney An- drew Botts, who prosecuted the case.
Oquendo then was given an opportunity to read any statement that he wanted to give before being sen- tenced.
“Noel was someone who was close to me,” said Oquendo, as he began to choke up with emotions. “[ Noel] was someone who turned to me, who trusted me and I in turn turned to her. I am not guilty, I am not guilty and I will continue to fight to one day
clear my name.”
Ceresia then took in all of the statements made by both sides and determined that Oquendo should receive the maximum sentence for his actions.
“The defendant has accepted no responsibility for his actions and shown no remorse for what he did and further taken into account the cowardly and heinous nature of the defendant’s behavior as determined by 12 jurors, it is clear in this court that this defendant deserves no mercy,” Ceresia said.
After sentencing, Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove was pleased to see Oquendo received the maximum sentence.
“Today was the right outcome and thank goodness that he was sentenced 27 years to life in prison ... I expect him to go to prison for the rest of his life and die there,” Abelove said. sports@troyrecord.com
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