By Rich Bockmann
The Springfield Gardens man who strangled his pregnant girlfriend and set her apartment aflame, killing her two-year-old son, was convicted of the double murder Thursday, the Queens district attorney said.
Jimmy Humphrey, 26, strangled Linda Anderson in her home in July 2010 and in an attempt to cover up his crime set fire to the apartment, where her 2-year-old son, Ayden Hayes, was asleep in his bedroom, according to DA Richard Brown.
Ayden was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead as a result of smoke inhalation. Anderson was seven-months pregnant with Humphrey’s child at the time.
“The defendant stands convicted of strangling to death the mother of his unborn child and, without regard for human life, attempting to cover up his crime by intentionally setting fire to her home, thereby taking another innocent life,” Brown said. “Under the circumstances, his conviction warrants the imposition of a lengthy prison term to punish him and protect society.”
Humphrey was convicted on four counts of second-degree murder as well as arson, reckless endangerment and tampering with physical evidence.
He faces up to 50 years to life in prison when he is sentenced by Judge Gregory Lasak March 6.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
