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More than 150 mourners gathered in a Long Island church Monday to memorialize the father gunned down in a Poughkeepsie hotel lobby while visiting his child at Marist College.
Paul Kutz was killed by stray bullets in the Marriott lobby on Oct. 2 while grabbing a cup of coffee and getting ready to check out. He had been upstate for the college’s family weekend.
The 53-year-old accountant and father of three was allegedly shot and killed by Roy Johnson, 35, who opened fire after getting into an argument with hotel staff.
Mourners gathered Monday at St. Anthony of Padua Church in East Northport in an hour-long service.
““He was a beautiful baby,” Barbara Hess, a family friend of the Kutz’ for 60 years, told The Post outside the church.
“We can do nothing but pray for the entire family; they’re devastated by this loss.”
Attendees filed out of the private service crying, holding tissues, and hugging one another.
Andy McGowan, a friend of Kutz’ older brother, said the slain dad was “the apple of his mother’s eye.”
“We all summered together in a very close knit neighborhood in Laurel. I remember him being the youngest kid in the group, a quiet kid. He came from a very loving family,” the Southold resident said.
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At the Christian memorial service, mourners were handed cards that said “I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one” with a picture of Kutz on the other side.
Kutz left behind his three sons – twins who previously graduated from Marist College and his son who is attending the school currently.
“He’s active in the community and we’ve lost a good man,” Ken Farrell, his next-door neighbor, previously told The Post.
“He coached kids in basketball. He was a Certified Public Accountant, had his own firm. Always helping out, answering any questions, trying to help people.
“Wonderful man. Great father. I talked with him three or four times a week. He’d keep an eye on our house when I’m away. I’m shocked and upset. We all are.”
Johnson, the alleged killer, had been staying at the hotel with his friend Devin Taylor, who was also arrested in connection with the shooting and charged with two counts of weapons possession.
The suspected murderer previously did time for robbery and burglary and was released on parole in August 2018, state prison records show.
