The father of a New York woman brutally killed by her husband while five months pregnant revealed in court that the motive was the defendant’s desire for a son.

Drew Garnier, 33, admitted his guilt in March to the murder of his 29-year-old wife, Samantha Garnier, who was expecting their third daughter when he fatally stabbed her on Sept. 4, 2024. Additionally, Drew Garnier attacked their two young daughters, then aged 6 and 9, leading to his guilty plea on two counts of assault.

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As previously reported by Law&Crime, New York State Police responded to a “domestic dispute” at the couple’s home in Masonville, New York, two days after Labor Day. Drew Garnier surrendered to police at the scene and was treated for superficial wounds. Samantha Garnier was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The two little girls were treated for stab wounds and eventually recovered.

In court on Thursday for Drew Garnier’s sentencing, the father of Samantha Garnier addressed a possible motive for the murder of his daughter while reading his victim impact statement, local CBS affiliate WBMG reported. He believed that Drew Garnier was angry about the gender of the unborn child, telling the court, “He had wanted a boy.”