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The father who was shot and killed by a stray bullet at a Hudson Valley hotel while visiting his child during Family Weekend at Marist College has been identified as an accountant from Long Island, according to numerous reports.
Suffolk County resident Paul Kutz, age 53, of East Northport, was killed while standing in the lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott, located at 2641 South Road (Route 9) in the Town of Poughkeepsie, at about 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2.
The father of three was hit in the chest and torso by bullets fired during a fight between two homeless men and hotel staff, reported the New York Post.
The murder took place when one of the suspects had gone down to the hotel lobby to get coffee and got into an argument with hotel staff. He took out a gun and fired, killing Kutz, who was an innocent bystander, reported Channel 4 New York.
The suspects were arrested and identified as 35-year-old Roy Johnson Jr. and 26-year-old Devin Taylor, the Town of Poughkeepsie police reported in an update on Monday, Oct. 3.
Police said Johnson was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was remanded to the Dutchess County Jail without bail
Taylor was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and was also remanded to the jail on $500,000 cash, $1 million bond or $5 million partially secured, authorities said.
During a search of the building, a hotel room was found to contain manuals related to the making of explosive devices, as well as materials with the potential to be used as explosives, police said.
While explosive components were found there were no explosive devices. The New York State Police bomb Squad responded and secured the material. The ATF was notified, the department said.
Two guns were also recovered during the search including a Glock and a ghost gun, officials said.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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