On april 9, 2025, after hearing two days of testimony, the jury found sonya mcknight guilty of attempted murder and aggravated assault. Sourced via crimewatch®: https://cumberland. Crimewatchpa. Com/da/5591/post/sonya-mcknight-found-guilty-attempted-murder-and-aggravated-assault-charges — On April 9, 2025, after hearing two days of testimony, the jury found Sonya McKnight guilty of attempted murder and aggravated assault. Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://cumberland.crimewatchpa.com/da/5591/post/sonya-mcknight-found-guilty-attempted-murder-and-aggravated-assault-charges

HARRISBURG, PA — Wednesday — A Dauphin County magisterial district judge was convicted of attempted murder and aggravated assault after shooting a man in the head while he slept at his Harrisburg home in early 2024, a jury in Lancaster County found this week.

Key Points

Judge Sonya McKnight was found guilty Wednesday of attempted murder and aggravated assault.
McKnight shot the victim in the head while he was asleep in his bed on Feb. 10, 2024.
The case was prosecuted by Cumberland County due to conflicts of interest in Dauphin County and the Attorney General’s Office.

The jury reached a verdict on April 9 following two days of testimony in the trial of Sonya McKnight, 58, who was convicted in the February 10, 2024, shooting of her then-boyfriend, Michael McCoy. The shooting took place in the early morning hours at McCoy’s home on Saddle Ridge Drive in Susquehanna Township.

Prosecutors said McKnight shot McCoy in the head while he was asleep in bed. The bullet entered the right side of his face, passed behind and slightly below both eyes, and exited the left side. McCoy survived but lost sight in one eye.

Cumberland County assumed case due to conflict

Due to McKnight’s position as a Dauphin County judge, the local District Attorney’s Office recused itself from the case. District Attorney Fran Chardo cited a conflict of interest and requested the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office to take over. When the Attorney General’s Office also declined for similar reasons, the case was transferred to the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office under Pennsylvania law.

District Attorney Seán McCormack and First Assistant District Attorney Courtney Hair LaRue led the prosecution. The trial was presided over by Judge Howard F. Knisely.

Shooting follows prior domestic incident

McKnight had previously been involved in another shooting incident involving her estranged husband, which was determined to be an act of self-defense.

However, in the current case, prosecutors argued McKnight intended to kill McCoy.

Authorities credited Det. Sgt. Lee Tarasi of the Susquehanna Township Police Department as lead investigator. The District Attorney’s Office also acknowledged the efforts of Adrianne Vaughn, Director of Victim Services, and thanked the jurors for their service during the trial.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.