East New York Boy's Killer Gets Life Sentence, Brooklyn DA Says

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A man convicted of killing one child and brutally stabbing another in a public housing elevator was sentenced to at least 50 years in prison, according to prosecutors.

Daniel St. Hubert, 31, was ordered to spend between 50 years and life in jail for murdering six-year-old P.J. Avitto and attacking now 11-year-old Mikayla Capers in June 2014, the Brooklyn District Attorney's office announced Tuesday.

“I know that PJ's loved ones will never be consoled and that Mikayla, whose courageous testimony helped to obtain this conviction, will forever carry this tragedy with her,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

“But I hope that they will find some solace by knowing that justice was done."

St. Hubert was armed with a steak knife when he stalked the little boy and girl from Boulevard Houses playground into an elevator in Avitto's building on Schenck and Stanley avenues, where they went in search of Italian icees, prosecutors said.

Capers testified at the trial that "the bad man"stabbed her 16 times and her best friend 11 times after they failed to obey his order that they “shut up,” according to a New York Times report.

St. Hubert was then seen leaving the building and stumbling in the grassy area where investigators later found a steak knife with the children's DNA on it, said prosecutors.

It took four days to find St. Hubert, who was arrested just after he drew graffiti on a Brooklyn stop sign that read, "$Kills I will BK," according to prosecutors.

"Satan has powers and controls things," St. Hubert told the police when he was questioned, which suggested he might plead insanity, but he was later ruled mentally fit to stand trial, the New York Times reported.

St. Hubert was convicted on murder charges by a Brooklyn Criminal Courts jury in April.

Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn District Attorney's office