“That’s what you did, you murdered our kids,” Tioga Downs horse barn arsonist sentenced to 15 years in prison

OWEGO, N.Y. (WETM) — The arsonist responsible for the deaths of 30 racehorses and two cats after intentionally setting a barn on fire at Tioga Down Casino back in November was sentenced on Friday after less than an hour in court.

Boyd Fenton was sentenced to a maximum of 15 years on Friday, April 19, after less than an hour of testimony and final words from the judge inside the Tioga County, N.Y., Court House in Owego.

Fenton was sentenced on an arson charge in the third degree, a class C felony, assault in the second degree, a class D felony, and 30 counts of interference with or injury to certain domesticated animals, all class E felonies.

Where did the money from the Tioga Downs fire GoFundMe go?

Under New York State law, since all of the acts happened in one fire, the charges are to be run simultaneously, thus the maximum charge that could be given under the law was met with 15 years in state prison.

An 18 News reporter inside the courtroom said that dozens of people packed inside in favor of the prosecution, including horse owners, trainers, and others, while only two people sat on the side of Fenton, his sister, and his wife.

Fenton was escorted into the courtroom at 1:13 p.m. wearing all orange with shackles around his ankles and wrists.

During the final testimony, Mindy Findling Repko, one of the horse owners who lost five horses in the fire spoke about the heartbreak and the pain she’s dealt with since that day in November.

Findling Repko explained how the horses were her children, and named each one lost in the fire, Schlitz, Mac, Oliver, George, and Larry. She went over the special bond she had with one horse in particular, Schlitz, and talked about his upbringing and the love she had for him.

Findling Repko said that she now has panic attacks whenever she goes into her barn back in Indiana, and said the first time it happened she thought she was having a heart attack. She added that the words of her husband saying, “The barn is on fire, they’re all gone,” replay in her head constantly after hearing them first on a phone call the day of the fire and months after remain in her memory.

Horse owners speak out about Tioga Downs fire

During her testimony, Findling Repko continued describing her relationships with her horses and emphasized that since she didn’t have children, the horses filled those gaps and became her family. At one point she looked up from the podium, looking directly at Fenton and saying, “That’s what you did, you murdered our kids.”

Following Findling Repko’s testimony, Fenton was allowed to say a statement, but declined, with the charges being read directly after.

Following the charges, Fenton waived his right to a restitution hearing with the court adjourning soon after.

When Fenton was escorted out, one of the people sitting in the audience learned toward him from her seat and said, “Enjoy your prison sentence you low life.”

18 News attempted to interview Fenton’s family, but they responded with no comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.