Conviction in Valentine’s Day murder

A Queens man who represented himself at trial was convicted today of the bludgeoning death of his fiancee’s 57-year-old widowed mother on Valentine’s Day in 2003. The murder took place inside the Jamaica residence they shared.
“The defendant has now been held accountable for the vicious and brutal murder of his fiancee’s mother,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “I only hope that those affected by this tragedy can find some degree of comfort . . . ”
Tony Sexton, 37, of 108-17 160th Street in Jamaica. Sexton, unemployed, was convicted earlier today following a two and one-half week jury trial of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence.
A jury of seven women and five men deliberated for three hours before returning a verdict of guilty before Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Hanophy who set sentencing for February 27.
The defendant, who is being held without bail, faces up to 27 years to life in prison.
According to the trial testimony, the defendant had moved in with his fiancee and her mother, Maria Rogers, 57, into the co-op that they owned - despite the fact that Rogers did not care for her daughter’s relationship with the defendant or the fact that he was moving into their home.
On the morning of February 14, 2003, while his fiancee was out of town, Sexton became enraged with Rogers and struck her multiple times in the head with a blunt object, causing her death.
Afterwards, he cleaned the area with bleach and wrapped the victim’s body in fabric taken from a piece of furniture in the home before placing her inside a plastic garbage bag.
The following evening, Sexton placed the victim in her own car and drove the car approximately one mile away to 97th Avenue and 148th Street, where he abandoned it. Eight days later, police discovered the car with the victim’s body inside.