'Gutless Coward' Sentenced in Bloody Wife Murder

YONKERS, NY — A middle-aged man who killed his 25-year-old wife has been sentenced to 18-years-to-life in state prison, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino announced. In court Wednesday before sentencing, his victim's grandmother refused to forgive him, calling him only by his inmate number.

Joseph Abraham, 55, got in a fight with Amanda Trenck in their apartment at 59 Van Cortlandt Park Ave. at about 1:30 a.m. May 21. Almost nine hours later, family members living in the same apartment found him unconscious in the bathtub with cuts on his wrists and neck. It was filled with blood and water.

Her, they found in their bedroom. She was slumped over the bed with a large amount of blood visible around her, police said.

Yonkers police received a report of an attempted suicide with possibly multiple victims at the scene at 9:12 a.m. on May 21. Abraham was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Yonkers for treatment. Trenck was declared dead.

Prior to sentencing Wednesday, the victim's mother, father and grandmother addressed the court explaining the impact of Trenck’s murder on them and her 3-year-old daughter.

In part of his statement, Amanda’s father, Jeffery Trenck, described the violent end of his daughter’s life: “I have read the coroner’s report and the last moments of my daughter’s life were truly horrific, she was attacked while asleep in bed and woke to multiple stabs in the back. She turned over and fought for her life only to continue to receive a vicious attack, broken ribs and several more stabs to the chest and neck and succumbed to these wounds and loss of blood.”

He added the impact of his daughter’s murder on the whole family: “In prison you can have visitors and make phone calls. I will never again receive a phone call or text message on my birthday, Father’s Day, anniversary or holiday from my daughter. This is not a victory. There will be no celebration. I take no joy in the sentence handed down – I just want what is fair for the suffering that Amanda’s family and friends have to endure for the remainder of their lives with her loss.”

Amanda’s mother, Kim Trenck, put it simply: “I am not the type of person who hates other people, but I hate you so much for what you have done to our daughter, Amanda, and to our granddaughter, Victoria.”

Amanda’s grandmother, Anne Trenck, did not say Abraham’s name. She only referred to him by his inmate number. She said, “I am unable to forgive you.” And told the court, “Please consider the most innocent person of all in these circumstances, Victoria. She must spend the rest of her life learning to deal with the fact that her father murdered her mother.”

Before reading the sentence, Judge Barry Warhit called Abraham a “gutless coward.” Saying a little girl was left with no mother, and told Abraham, “She’ll learn of your behavior going forward…This is all your doing.” With that, he sentenced Abraham to 18-years-to-life, meaning he cannot seek parole until 18 years into his prison term.

Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Strongin of the Superior Court Trial Division and Assistant District Attorney Nadine Nagler, Deputy Bureau Chief the Vehicular Crimes Division, prosecuted the case.

Trenck had graduated from Brookfield (Connecticut) High School in 2010. She had been working as a juice mixer at Juice Press in Armonk.

Abraham initially pleaded not guilty to second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. However, he later pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree, which is a class A felony.

PHOTO: Joseph Abraham/ Westchester County DA's Office

SEE ALSO: Westchester Man Killed Wife Half His Age: DA