Davenport Man Sentenced For Wife’s Tragic Death And Drug Crimes

On March 25, 2026, a Davenport, New York man was sentenced to 31 years to life in New York State prison.

The announcement came from Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith, stating that, previous to the sentencing, 50-year-old Justin T. Valk was found guilty after a three-week trial by jury in Delaware County in January 2026 of  Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A-II Felony, along with several other felony charges.

The jury found that Valk recklessly caused the death of  Stephanie Valk, his wife, under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to the value of human life.

According to the report, in August of 2022, Valk injected his wife with multiple doses of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl over 24 hours in their Davenport home. Testimony was also presented on the drug sales that occurred before, after, and during the period of time that Stephanie was fighting for her life.

Read More: Managing Deer Population In New York State

Additional Charges

In addition to the murder charge, Valk was also found guilty of:

Assault in the First Degree - sentenced to a term in state prison for 20 years, to be followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.

Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree - sentenced to years in prison to be followed by 2 years of post-release supervision for each count.

One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 5th Degree - sentenced to 2.5 years in State Prison to be followed by 1 year of post-release supervision.

The report from District Attorney Smith notes that family members of Stephanie Valk spoke about how much they miss their mother, niece, cousin, and friend. Justin Valk showed no remorse and refused to accept any responsibility.

This is a truly despicable case. I am pleased that the Judge imposed the maximum sentence. This defendant certainly deserved it.- Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith

Get our free mobile app