A Queens woman asked God for forgiveness before she was sentenced to 20 years in prison for what a judge called the “appalling and gruesome” murder of a woman she and her husband brought home for kinky romps in bed.
“Ultimately God is my judge, but I understand I have to pay for my crime,” said Devonne Wilkerson, who admitted last month to the kidnap and torture death of Sheryl Outerbridge in Dec. 2013.
Outerbridge, 38, of Harlem, was the third party in Wilkerson and her husband Malik’s polyamorous relationship.
“I want to apologize to my family and the family of the deceased,” said Wilkerson, 33, who previously admitted she and Malik abducted Outerbridge, and took her back to their home where they burned cigarettes into her and cut her with smashed beer bottles for hours.
The couple later dumped her lifeless body on Sutphin Boulevard where strangers took her to Jamaica Hospital.
“Outerbridge was a person who shared a close relationship with you — she was brutalized by you and left to die by you and your husband. She was left bleeding like a dog at the side of the road and died from the injuries,” said Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard Buchter who agreed to sentence Wilkerson to 20 years in prison in exchange for her plea.
The wife admitted that she got angry when Outerbridge overstepped her boundaries in their relationship by getting a tattoo of her husband’s pet name.
Wilkerson’s attorney Ana D’Elia submitted several letters from the community to explain to the judge that her behavior was “out of character” and she’s a “religious” person.
“I don’t know if this really was out of your character. This was a cold, cruel and ruthless crime. I don’t know how you can be a religious person and do such a crime,” said Justice Buchter.
Malik’s case is currently pending.