Multiple US Men Convicted in Fatal Stabbing Cases Across States

Several recent murder convictions highlight violent crimes across multiple states. Benchy R. Couloute was found guilty of first-degree murder and home invasion in Beardstown, Illinois, after killing Junior N. Kalonji in a premeditated attack linked to his ex-wife, with sentencing scheduled for September. In Rochester, New York, Roger Wiggins received a 25 years to life sentence for the 2018 murder of his girlfriend Tracy Henton-Williams, whom he stabbed and pushed from a moving vehicle. Another Rochester case involved Mark Burdick, convicted of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing Myron Fair during an argument in April 2024, with sentencing pending. In Rhode Island, Jacob Gallant was denied parole after brutally stabbing Alyssa Garcia 26 times in 2017; Garcia continues to suffer severe physical and emotional trauma from the attack. These cases underscore ongoing concerns about violent crime and justice system responses in different communities.