Hudson Valley Man Found Guilty of Murder in Beating Death of Elderly Military Veteran & Shop Owner

A Hudson Valley man was found guilty of murder in the beating death of a beloved elderly military veteran and local shop owner.

An Orange County jury convicted 30-year-old Dennis McBee, of Port Jervis of 2nd-degree murder, 1st-degree robbery, and tampering with physical evidence.

The charges stem from the November 7, 2014, robbery and beating death of a 77-year-old Port Jervis shop owner, Josef Kucher. Kucher was a shoemaker in Port Jervis for 40 years. He owned Kucher’s Shoe Repair and Orthopedic on Front Street, where the robbery and beating took place.

According to prosecutors, after savagely beating the elderly man and stealing money from the cash register, McBee tried to conceal his bloody pants and boots. The boots were evidence because he used them to stomp on Kucher.

Following the murder, McBee fled to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he was ultimately found and arrested.

The Orange County District Attorney’s office says Kucher was an Austrian immigrant, military veteran, and a prominent figure in the Port Jervis community. “Mr. Kutcher was known to all in Port Jervis,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler in a statement. “He was an old world craftsman who did things the right way, for the right reasons, every day of his life.

McBee is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

"There is no sentence or punishment I can recommend to the court that will do justice in this case. Justice will come in the next life for Mr. McBee,” concluded Hoovler.