Herkimer County Man Sentenced for Family Murders

HERKIMER, N.Y. — In a significant legal proceeding at the Herkimer County Court on Thursday, Michael Andreev Jr. of Jordanville was sentenced for the murders of his father and younger sister, which occurred at their residence in 2021. The sentencing follows Andreev’s guilty plea midway through his trial.

During the trial, which had extended nine days, Michael Andreev Jr. faced charges for the first-degree murder of his father, Michael Andreev Sr., and sister, Sofia Trusova. The court proceedings took a sudden turn when Andreev pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder for both killings. «Any clear motive remains a mystery,» stated Herkimer County District Attorney Jeffrey Carpenter, adding, «There was an allegation that the father wouldn’t take him to play soccer with his friends. That may have been enough. I don’t know. But he clearly killed his father. And his sister saw it, and the little brother saw it. The little brother was able to escape.»

Andreev was subsequently sentenced by Judge John Crandall to 15 years to life in prison for his father’s murder and 17 years to life for his sister’s murder, to be served consecutively. This totals a sentence of 32 years to life in state prison.

The court heard the harrowing details of the incident where Andreev stabbed his father and sister to death at their home on September 19, 2021. The prosecution presented testimonies from multiple witnesses, including Sofia’s younger brother, who was present during the events and managed to escape without harm, as well as members of the New York State Police.

Upon his sentencing, Andreev was asked if he had any statements to make. He paused momentarily and replied, «No,» choosing not to provide any further insight or apologies. Notably, there were no victim impact statements presented during the court session.