Dhymere Bailey Sentenced to 25 Years to Life

Rochester, NY- On Friday, August 7, 2026, Monroe County Court Judge Caroline Morrison sentenced 20-year-old Dhymere Bailey to 25 years to Life in the New York State Department of Corrections. He previously pled guilty to Murder in the 2nd Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degree for killing Sandra Blanding.

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on March 19, 2025, Rochester Police Officers responded to a vacant house on Spencer Street in the City of Rochester. Upon arrival, officers discovered 39-year-old Sandra Blanding deceased on the sidewalk in front of a vacant house. The victim had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body.

Following a thorough investigation, Rochester Police Department detectives determined that Dhymere Bailey was responsible for the murder of Sandra Blanding. Dhymere Bailey was arrested on March 21, 2025, by the Rochester Police Department’s Tactical Unit and SWAT Team. The defendant initially fled from the police, but was swiftly apprehended.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kevin Sunderland, Chief of the Local Courts Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Diane Orosz-Roy.

“Dhymere Bailey made the deliberate choice to take Sandra Blanding’s life, and today he was sentenced accordingly for that senseless act of violence,” said Assistant District Attorney Kevin Sunderland. “Sandra was left murdered on a sidewalk and no sentence can erase the brutality of what happened to her or the pain inflicted on those who loved her. This appropriate sentence ensures that the defendant will spend decades behind bars and sends a clear message that this kind of violence will carry serious consequences. I commend the Rochester Police Department detectives whose relentless work identified Bailey, tracked him down, and ensured he was held accountable for Sandra’s murder.”

“Nothing that happens in a courtroom can undo that loss or return Sandra to the people who loved her, but today’s sentence makes certain that Dhymere Bailey will face a significant consequence for the life he chose to take,” said Monroe County District Attorney Brian Green. “I am grateful to Assistant District Attorneys Kevin Sunderland and Diane Orosz-Roy, as well as the Rochester Police Department, for their commitment to this case and to holding those who commit acts of violence in our community accountable.”