A Hudson Valley woman was sentenced for murdering the father of her children.

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On Sept. 28, 2017, Christopher Grover was found dead from a gunshot wound in the Town of Poughkeepsie home he shared with Nicole Addimando, a 2007 FDR graduate.

Investigators began what was described as a "painstaking six-month investigation"  involving phone records, internet searches, computer forensics, dozens of interviews, and more to determine there were inconsistencies in the Addimando's alleged history of abuse and her claims of self-defense. There was also overwhelming evidence the murder was intentional, officials say.

Evidence at the trial proved Grover was killed by a point-blank shot to his head while he was sleeping on his couch, officials say.

In April 2018, a Dutchess County jury found Addimando guilty of murder after three days of deliberation.

“The defendant’s allegations of abuse and self-defense were exhaustively investigated for two years by many detectives and law enforcement agencies.” Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy said. “We took the defendant’s claims of abuse very seriously. In the end, everything pointed to the fact that Christopher Grover was asleep when the defendant executed him, and there was no evidence that he had ever abused her. In fact, there was evidence that she was extremely verbally abusive to him and planned the murder in advance. Fortunately, she didn’t get away with it. The jury reviewed the extensive forensic evidence and trial testimony and unanimously rejected the defendant’s claims.”

The Putnam District Attorney’s office was named special prosecutor on the case due to a conflict with the Dutchess County District Attorney’s office.

At the time of his murder, Grover was the head-coach at Mr. Todd’s Gymnastics in Poughkeepsie. According to his obituary, Grover graduated from Red Hook High School in 2006. He previously coached gymnastics at Fly High Gymnastics in Red Hook.

Addimando hoped to be considered for a shorter sentence under a new law, the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act. Last May, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act. According to the governor's office,  the bill orders sentence reductions for domestic abuse survivors.

Last week, a Dutchess County judge ruled Addimando will not receive a shorter sentence under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act.

“We are deeply disappointed in the Court’s decision involving domestic violence survivor Nikki Addimando," Sanctuary for Families, a non-profit that helps survivors of domestic abuse, said in a statement. "The Court failed to take into account the complexities of coercive control, trauma bonding, and a life-long history of severe and repeated trauma, which are central to an understanding of the full nature and circumstances of this case and Ms. Addimando’s actions. The Domestic Violence Justice Survivors Act (DVSJA) was intended for cases just like this one. Given the extensive evidence presented at trial of repeated sexual and physical abuse spanning virtually her entire life, it is difficult to understand the Court’s conclusion that both the letter and spirit of the Act do not apply in Ms. Addimando’s case.”

On Tuesday, Addimando was sentenced to 19-years to life in prison.

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