Man Who was Seen Laughing in Court After Killing his 11-year-old son Sentenced to Life in Prison

New York father was sentenced to life in prison May 29 in connection with the killings of his 11-year-old son and girlfriend. Authorities said the man was seen giggling in court during the sentencing hearing. The killings occurred in March 2025 at the home of the defendant’s stepfather in Syracuse.

A 44-year-old New York man, identified as David Huff, was sentenced May 29 in connection with the killings of his 11-year-old son and girlfriend. Huff was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. During the sentencing hearing, he was reportedly seen laughing in court and told the judge he had a joke stuck in his head.

The victims were identified as Jeremiah Huff, the defendant’s 11-year-old son, and Yeraldith Tchudy, the defendant’s 32-year-old girlfriend.

Judge Ted Limpert called out Huff’s behavior during the proceedings, telling him he had behaved like a “petulant” teenager, according to the reports of Syracuse.com. “Do you find this funny?” Limpert questioned at the time. “No, there’s a joke stuck in my head, go on, I am listening,” Huff replied.

The mother of the victim, Samantha Gallup Peltier, recalled the chilling phone call from her son after his father shot him. She told the court,” That phone call is played over and over and over in my head, daily.” She added, “You are destined for the seventh circle of hell.”

Onondaga County Chief Assistant District Attorney Robert Moran also shared a statement from Judith Seoud Tschudy’s mother, which mentioned that her daughter “had crossed continents, buried her father, raised a child on her own and worked herself to the bone. This is who David Huff took from this world.”

Authorities said Huff used a Remington 870 Express 12-gauge shotgun to kill Tschudy and his son, Jeremiah, on March 17, 2025. Prosecutors said Huff also attempted to shoot his stepfather but had run out of ammunition. Huff did not plead guilty to the attempted murder charge connected to his stepfather.

After the shootings, Huff fled his stepfather’s home. He was found the following morning after a neighbor spotted him near the crime scene. Authorities said Huff had no known history of domestic violence before the killings.

The team of Huff’s attorney had considered a mental health-based argument. Still, evaluations by their own experts found him competent to stand trial and indicated he was likely under voluntary drug intoxication at the time of the killings.

“Your actions are reprehensible, and you deserve to be incarcerated for the rest of your life. Even a sentence of life is not long enough for you,” Limpert told Huff.