William Pryor, a 23-year-old Bronx man, was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison on December 8, for the brutal murder of his friend and former roommate, 29-year-old Marquis Muniz from Yonkers. The sentencing, announced by Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah, marked the end of a three-week trial that exposed the “cold-blooded” nature of the crime.
The incident occurred on March 3, 2022, when Pryor used a .40 caliber pistol to shoot Muniz ten times in Muniz’s Yonkers apartment on Riverdale Avenue. Muniz’s fiancé made the devastating discovery later that afternoon, finding her loved one’s lifeless body.
A multi-state investigation involving the Yonkers Police Department, Peekskill Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office led to Pryor’s arrest on June 30, 2022, at a residence in Montrose.
Prosecutors revealed that Muniz had evicted Pryor from his apartment a month before the murder, suspecting him of theft. On the day of the crime, surveillance footage captured Pryor entering and leaving the building with a black garbage bag. Further investigation found traces of gunshot residue on the bag traced to Pryor’s mother’s house in The Bronx. A jury convicted Pryor on October 27, 2023 on charges of second-degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.
The sentencing
During the sentencing, the victim’s fiancé made heart-wrenching statement to the court. In it, she described the profound impact of losing Muniz and condemned Pryor for his hateful and envious actions. In another emotional plea, Muniz’s father, Rahmel Bryant, expressed the deep pain and depression that followed his son’s murder. He characterized Pryor’s actions as biting the hand that fed him, emphasizing that prison alone could not serve as sufficient punishment.
Judge Robert Neary acknowledged the palpable grief in the courtroom. Therefore, he sentenced Pryor to the maximum penalty of 25 years to life for both murder and weapon possession, rejecting any leniency requested by the defense.
D.A. Rocah expressed her desire that this harsh sentence is a small comfort for the family of the victim.
The defendant violently took the life of a close friend in cold blood. We hope today’s sentence brings a measure of justice and closure to Mr. Muniz’s loved ones
