Suspended Dauphin County Magistrate Judge Sonya McKnight was convicted Wednesday of attempted murder and aggravated assault for shooting her ex-boyfriend in the head as he slept.
McKnight, a Dauphin County judge since 2016 and a Democrat, carried out the heinous act days after her ex-boyfriend, Michael McCoy, ended their relationship.
The incident, which unfolded in February 2024, stemmed from a bitter breakup. McKnight, 58, had been living in her ex-boyfriend Michael McCoy’s home but refused to leave despite his repeated demands after their relationship ended.
Prosecutors revealed that McKnight, consumed by jealousy, crept into McCoy’s bedroom in the early morning hours and fired a single shot into his head. The bullet tore through his face, resulting in permanent blindness in his right eye.