Bernard Alexander, 42, a Schenectady resident, pled guilty today in Schenectady County Court to Murder in the second degree in connection with the shooting death of Philomen Henry in an apartment on Crane Street in Schenectady on May 22, 2023. Alexander and Henry had had a long-term relationship marked by several instances of domestic violence, including Alexander’s prior arrest and incarceration for violating an order of protection. On the date of the killing, the two were living together in an apartment at 953 Crane Street along with Henry’s two children.
The investigation revealed that on the morning of the killing, a physical altercation escalated and Alexander shot Ms. Henry multiple times before fleeing from the apartment. While investigators quickly identified Alexander as a suspect, he rapidly fled Schenectady and New York State. Alexander was later located in August of 2023 in Scranton, Pennsylvania living under an assumed name. A tip provided to Ms. Henry’s family revealed Alexander’s location and he was shortly taken into custody with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. Alexander was then extradited to New York to face the murder charges.
District Attorney Robert M. Carney stated, “We have seen far too many cases of domestic violence in which a woman is murdered in an act of betrayal by an intimate partner. They are among the hardest crimes to predict and prevent, but usually are among the easiest to solve. That was true here with several individuals who interacted with Mr. Alexander after the murder, and were so revulsed by what they learned that they immediately interacted with police, leading to the discovery of Ms. Henry’s body and ultimately to the arrest and now conviction of Mr. Alexander. I thank them for being good citizens of our community.”
Alexander is due to be sentenced on April 28, 2025 by Hon. Mark J. Caruso to a term of twenty (20) years to life. Alexander was represented by attorney Mark J. Sacco and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Peter Willis and Marlena Mareno.