Teen Admits to Killing Hudson Valley Grandfather

A teen admitted to his role in the death of a Hudson Valley grandfather who was seeing his newborn grandchild for the first time.

In February 2017, 72-year-old Kenneth Spalter of Pound Ridge traveled to St. Louis to see his newborn grandchild. As Spalter and his wife were getting out of their son-in-law’s car they were robbed by 17-year-old Richard Donaldson and two others, according to Fox.

St. Louis Today reports another robber fatally shot Spalter. Donaldson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, robbery and more in August 2017.

“People often say, ‘Oh, your dad died, but at least you have this little baby to bring you joy,’” Kenneth Spatler’s daughter, Amanda, said during a court hearing, according to St. Louis Today. “But the problem with that right now is that it’s been really hard to fully experience joy in my baby because every little milestone is a reminder of his murder and the fact that she’ll never know her grandfather.”

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On Friday, Donaldson was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

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