On a late winter day in Perry, New York, the life of 32-year-old Robert M. Irvine III came to a violent end. On March 7, 2018, Irvine was shot and killed, not by a stranger, but by a man he considered a friend. The events of that day would unravel a dark story hidden within the community, exposing a double life led by a man once sworn to protect it.
Robert, known as 'Robbie' to his friends and family, was a mechanic with a passion for fishing and dirt bikes. He was a father, leaving behind a young daughter. On that fateful Wednesday, he had gone to the property of Joseph Mlyniec, a 60-year-old former Wyoming County sheriff's deputy and a sitting Perry town board member. It wasn't an unusual visit; Irvine reportedly stored some of his belongings at Mlyniec's farm and sometimes worked on his car there. The two had been friends for over a decade.
The situation turned deadly when Mlyniec confronted Irvine in his driveway. Mlyniec, armed with a handgun, shot Irvine four times. Even as Irvine pleaded for his life, Mlyniec delivered a final, fatal shot to the head at close range. After the shooting, it was Mlyniec himself who called 911 to report what he had done, telling the dispatcher he had just shot and killed someone. When deputies arrived at the Route 246 residence, they found Mlyniec waiting and he was taken into custody without incident.
The investigation that followed uncovered a disturbing motive behind the brutal killing. For years, Joseph Mlyniec, a man who had retired as a patrol sergeant, had been using his position of authority to groom troubled young men for sexual relationships. Irvine was one of his victims and had recently threatened to expose Mlyniec's predatory behavior to the police. The night before the murder, Irvine had allegedly told Mlyniec to either turn himself in or take his own life. Fearing the imminent revelation of his secret life, Mlyniec lured Irvine to his home with the intention of silencing him forever.
In the face of overwhelming evidence, Joseph Mlyniec pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October 2018. The plea was part of an agreement that would see him sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. During the sentencing, the court heard emotional impact statements from Irvine's loved ones, including his girlfriend and sister, who spoke of the profound loss and the trauma inflicted upon their family, especially on Irvine's young daughter who could no longer say goodbye to her father. Mlyniec offered an apology to Irvine's family, acknowledging their long-standing friendship. He was formally sentenced in November 2018, bringing a legal conclusion to a case that shattered the peace of a small town and revealed the dark secrets of a man who once wore a badge.
