25 years to life in Wyandanch man's slay

The second of two men convicted of killing a Wyandanch man after firing a gun into a group of people outside his house was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years to life in prison.

Rudolph Bisnauth, 25, of Wheatley Heights, was convicted of second-degree murder in the June 2009 killing of Jeremiah Armstrong, 47. Bisnauth and Michael McKenzie fired about 20 shots at the people outside Armstrong's house after a dispute involving a friend of the defendants and one of Armstrong's relatives.

"They went and shot up the house," Assistant District Attorney Robert Biancavilla said.

"I can't explain what happened," said Armstrong's sister, Desireé Armstrong of Wheatley Heights. "He was a loving and forgiving man. . . . We'll never get that life of Jerry's back. We took a great loss."

McKenzie pleaded guilty last year to first-degree manslaughter and would have gotten a sentence of 20 years if he'd cooperated with prosecutors in the case against Bisnauth. But Biancavilla said McKenzie backed out, so State Supreme Court Justice Robert W. Doyle gave him the maximum of 25 years. A jury convicted Bisnauth anyway.

Several of Armstrong's family members said they were relieved the case was over. His widow, Patricia Armstrong, said he'll never be forgotten.

"The love for my husband will never die," she said, her hand over her heart.