During what looks to be a botched hold-up at a neighboring hotel, the man suspected of killing shooting a New York accountant while visiting his son in college is said to have shot 30 rounds of ammunition.
According to the New York Post, Roy Johnson, 35, is accused of shooting a loaded, working Glock Model 17 when Paul Kutz was hit in the heart, lungs, and liver by a stray bullet.
An indictment claims that Johnson entered the lobby of a Mariott hotel in Poughkeepsie while wearing a black ski mask and shot at the hotel coffee shop with an automatic weapon.
After the front desk employee stopped Johnson from climbing behind the counter, Johnson is accused of bringing out the revolver.
After firing off several dozen shots, he began “cursing and shouting” before exiting the hotel and firing additional rounds.
Kutz, 53, was caught up in the chaos of the hotel gunfight.
During Family Day at Marist College, where his son is enrolled, Kutz was buying coffee when one shot cracked his ribs.
The man, who had co-operated with his brother for 32 years in running an accounting company, was taken to MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie and later declared dead.
Devin Taylor, who was also in the motel with Johnson, is charged with weapons offenses while Johnson was charged with murder.
Although Johnson and Taylor were both staying at the motel, it was unclear how long they had been there, according to the police. They disclosed that a third party had reserved the space.
According to News 12 Long Island, Kutz’s funeral was place on Monday at St. Anthony of Padua Church in East Northport, Long Island.
Johnson has a lengthy criminal background and has served time in prison for robberies and break-ins. Additionally, he is wanted for a homicide that occurred in Fulton County, Georgia, back in July.
He’s also due in court on felony drug and gun charges, and he was being looked at as a possible suspect in a gang-related killing.
Since 1995, Kutz has been wed to Nathalie Landrein Kutz.
He was visiting one of the couple’s three kids who was a student at Marist College when the shooting started.
Kutz earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Economics from the College of Holy Cross, a liberal arts university in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1990.
In 1993, he went on to get a master’s degree in taxes.
He has been a Certified Financial Planner since 1997 and was a Certified Public Accountant since 1991.
Police Chief Joseph Cavaliere said that after the shooting, a search of the hotel was conducted. There, investigators discovered items that could be used as explosives as well as instructions on how to make a bomb, including Tannerite, which is used in long-range target practice and explodes upon impact.
Senior law enforcement sources said that the alleged shooter’s pistol was equipped with a Glock switch that turned it into a fully automatic weapon.
A second weapon was discovered in one of the hotel rooms, while the first was discovered on top of the suspect’s vehicle.
According to Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, who spoke to CBS, “two persons who are in jail are known to law enforcement, having no relationship with the father of the student that we are aware of, and we do not feel that it is related or associated with operations at Marist.”
What the suspects may have intended to do with the information is unknown.
While the structure was being searched, the hotel was evacuated.
The Courtyard hotel was still shut down as of Monday afternoon, and previous guests were still not permitted to check back in.
The incident happened just after the college’s Family Weekend.
Students invite their family to the school throughout the weekend for sports and entertainment in addition to a variety of other activities.
“My family traveled all the way from St. Louis, and I felt awful for the family, therefore I was really afraid.” Freshman Henry Merli told CBS that it was terrible.
“My mother visited. The fact that it could have been anybody made it terrifying, said freshman Jack Oakley. “The bomb thing might have been a horrible event,”
A statement was then issued by the college:
A Marist spokeswoman issued a statement saying, “Yesterday morning, police made us aware of the unfortunate, deadly shooting of a parent of a Marist student at a nearby hotel several miles from school.”
“The Marist community extends its sincere sympathies to the family and is ready to assist in any way possible.” We continue to communicate with the local government and will update our community on any developments.
“Two persons who are in jail are known to law enforcement, having no relationship with the father of the student that we are aware of, and we do not think that it is related or associated with operations at Marist,” Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro told WCBS.