Man sentenced after telling cops ‘it wasn’t that big of a deal’ after killing family with crossbow

Patrick Proefriedt, a man in upstate New York has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for murdering his 17-day-old daughter in a shocking crime that happened two years ago. The man, Patrick Proefriedt, 28, admitted guilt to second-degree murder in March of this year, but has only recently been sentenced. This heartbreaking event began when police responded to a call about a woman and a baby being shot with a crossbow in Colesville on June 26, 2023.

Warning: The article contains details of a murder. Proceed with caution.

As reported by Toofab, when officers arrived, they found two victims: Megan Carey, the mother, and her 17-day-old daughter, Eleanor. Both had been hurt by a crossbow. The suspected attacker, Patrick Proefriedt, who was the baby’s father, was not there when police arrived. Reports say that an argument had broken out between the couple because the baby was crying.

During the fight, Proefriedt went to another room, got a crossbow, came back, and shot both of them. The crossbow bolt hit the baby in her upper chest, went out near her armpit, and then struck her mother in the chest. Megan Carey was let out of the hospital the same day with injuries that were not life-threatening. Sadly, her baby girl was declared dead at the scene.

Man kills daughter and mother with crossbow attack

After the attack, Proefriedt reportedly pulled out the bolt and then hid his wife’s phone, trying to stop her from calling for help, before running away in his truck. Despite this, Carey managed to call 911. Later, prosecutors played the 22-minute recording of her desperate 911 call during the sentencing, where she could be heard begging her daughter to stay alive.

Police quickly started searching for Proefriedt from the air after they arrived. Working together, the New York State Police and Chenango County Sheriff’s Office set up a perimeter around the area. Using multiple patrol cars and a drone, law enforcement found Proefriedt within an hour. He was hiding in the woods less than a mile from his home after his truck got stuck in the mud. He was arrested right away.

During questioning, Proefriedt showed no remorse for what he had done. He never asked about his wife or his three-week-old child, and he did not say he was sorry. Instead, he reportedly downplayed the situation by saying it “wasn’t that big of a deal” and said he expected to be let go “as soon as possible.” He also tried to blame his wife, claiming she had “dared him” to do it.

Finally, Proefriedt saw justice. At the sentencing, the court recognized the terrible pain Megan Carey went through during her daughter’s last moments, calling her experience unimaginable. Despite the horror, Carey spoke bravely in court, saying she still believed in love, healing, and forgiveness, but made it clear that her husband was “beyond forgiveness” because of his lack of empathy and humanity.

Before he was sentenced, Proefriedt reportedly apologized to his wife, saying it was “for the sake of my child.” We’ve seen plenty of men kill mothers and daughters, or try to, but it is always devastating to hear about. The maximum sentence was given, though it is understandable that many would feel that even this amount of prison time was not enough for such a horrible crime.