A Pennsylvania judge, Sonya McKnight, was convicted of attempted murder and aggravated assault after shooting her ex-boyfriend in the head while he slept.
The jury found McKnight guilty on April 9, 2025, following a trial that detailed the shocking incident.
McKnight, a magisterial judge in Dauphin County, shot her former partner, Michael McCoy, on February 10, 2024, at his home in Harrisburg.
According to authorities, the shooting occurred after McCoy tried to end their year-long relationship. McCoy was asleep when McKnight fired a bullet into the right side of his face, which exited through the left side. Although he survived, McCoy is now blind in one eye.
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District Attorney Sean McCormack said there was no one else in the house at the time of the shooting, and McCoy insisted he did not shoot himself. McCoy later testified that he had asked McKnight multiple times to move out of his home, and the last words he heard from her before going to bed were, “Oh, so you’re serious?”
McKnight’s defense team argued there wasn’t enough evidence to prove her guilt, citing gunpowder residue found on McCoy’s hands. However, the jury deliberated for two days before returning a guilty verdict.
After the conviction, McKnight was taken into custody, and her bail was increased to $3 million. She had already been suspended from her position as a judge following her arrest. Her sentencing is set for May 2025.
The case has drawn widespread attention, both because of McKnight’s status as a judge and the brutal nature of the crime. The conviction marks a significant moment in the ongoing battle against domestic violence.
