Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Mt. Vernon, NY: Mount Vernon woman gets prison for killing boyfriend

A Mount Vernon woman who admitted in May to strangling her boyfriend to death after a vicious domestic argument was sentenced Tuesday to between 3½ and 4 years in state prison.

Tywana Kerr, 29, killed 43-year-old Anthony “Rickie” Lowery in March 2011. Lowery was found unresponsive on Kerr’s bed the night after the two — who were engaged in an on-again, off-again relationship — argued over whether Lowery would stay the night.

Kerr pleaded guilty May 2 in state Supreme Court in White Plains to manslaughter and strangulation charges. Tuesday’s sentence, handed down by Judge Richard A. Molea, was slightly less than the 4-year maximum Kerr could have received, though she will also be required to serve 5 years post-release supervision.


Clare Degnan, a lawyer for Kerr, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Kerr had previously told police that she had struggled with Lowery before he collapsed to the floor and she dragged his body onto the bed. But Lowery was still unresponsive the next morning, prompting Kerr to call police, who arrested her later that day.

A father of three, Lowery worked in construction and had dated Kerr for several months, though family members said at the time of his death that they hadn’t been aware of any domestic violence in their relationship.

Lowery had exited a drug rehabilitation center and was recently sober when he started dating Kerr, family members said.

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