By Connor Adams Sheets
A Flushing man was sentenced last week to 25 years to life in prison for stabbing three people last year, one of whom died as a result of the wounds he sustained during the vicious attack.
David Williams, 42, a bouncer at a neighborhood bar, pleaded guilty in April to one count of second-degree murder and two counts of assault in a case that shocked area residents with its brutality and seeming randomness, according to the office of Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
Williams admitted that at about 9:20 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009, he stabbed 41-year-old Sook Young Juhn in the left upper back, leaving her with a collapsed lung as he walked along 147th Street toward Northern Boulevard.
Minutes later, Williams approached John Purcell, 78, and Joan Purcell, 72, as they left their residence at 147-15 Northern Blvd. He struck up a conversation with Joan Purcell, then drew a large, serrated carving knife, which he used to stab John Purcell once in the chest, penetrating his stomach and lacerating his spleen, and once in the right arm.
Williams then stabbed Joan Purcell once in the lower chest, cutting her liver, and once in her left arm.
Shortly thereafter, police said they saw Williams holding a knife near the site and ordered him to drop the weapon, to which he complied. As police officers attempted to apprehend him, authorities said Williams began flailing his arms and struggling with the officers, but was eventually taken into custody.
Both of the Purcells were left clinging to their lives, and John died days later as a result of the attack.
At the time of the attack, police said they responded to the scene and found 38-year-old Deraj Meraj, who said the suspect had punched him in the face before fleeing the scene.
Brown said in a statement that all three stabbings were “unprovoked.”
On June 10, Queens Supreme Court Justice Gregory Lasak sentenced Williams to an indeterminate term of 25 years to life in prison, according to Brown.
“The sentence imposed represents a measure of justice for the victims of this defendant whose senseless and unprovoked attacks have left at least one survivor deeply traumatized and without her husband — who died while valiantly trying to protect her from the defendant,” Brown said in a statement.
Reach reporter Connor Adams Sheets by e-mail at csheets@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
