By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

Darlene George was sentenced Monday to 40 years in prison for orchestrating a plan to kill her husband during a staged home invasion in their Old Orchard Beach home.

Her brother, Jeffrey Williams, was sentenced to life in prison for traveling to Maine to carry out the murder. Both also received concurrent 30-year sentences for conspiracy to commit murder. 

Winston George, 44, died June 20, 2008 after being hogtied and strangled with rope and suffocated with a plastic bag in a murder Justice G. Arthur Brennan called “particularly grisly.” Darlene George and her brother, Jeffrey Williams, were found guilty in June of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. 

Rennie Cassimy, Darlene George’s longtime lover, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to eight years in prison as part of a plea deal that required him to testify against Darlene George and Williams. 

Prosecutors said during the trial that Darlene George planned her husband’s murder and recruited her lover and brother to travel by bus from New York to carry out the plan. The murder was staged as a home invasion with masked attackers. Darlene George and her 13-year-old son, Giovanni, were tied up in the master bedroom as Winston George begged for his life and said his final prayer, said Assistant Attorney General Leane Zainea. 

Prosecutors said Darlene George was motivated by greed and did not want to lose property in Old Orchard Beach, New York and Trinidad and Tobago in a divorce. Winston George was romantically involved with a co-worker and wanted to end his marriage, prosecutors said. 

Williams, 47, maintained his innocence in court and told the George family they deserve justice. He also directed a message to his nephew Giovanni, who was not in the courtroom. 

“It’s a shame you had to go through all of this and I want you to know I wish you the best,” he said.  

Darlene George told the judge she loved her husband and they had a good life together. She said Cassimy was not her lover and she was not concerned about losing property in a divorce.

“Everything we were doing was to move toward the future, not to separate,” she said.

The judge said Darlene George’s sentence was not as severe because of several mitigating factors, including her lack of criminal history, strong work record and her willingness to help others. 

Williams has an extensive criminal history that includes convictions of robbery and firearms violations. He was on parole with the state of New York in 2008. 

Brennan also voiced concern for Giovanni, who testified during the trial he was scared the night of the murder and wanted to help his step-father. 

“You have to think that this is going to haunt him for the rest of his life,” he said. 

Winston George was remembered Monday as a hard-working man who took pride in his home and helping his family. Family members asked Darlene George and Williams be sentenced to the maximum prison sentence allowed. 

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Annmarie George told Brennan that Darlene George is a “monster”  who pretended to be someone she was not. 

 “For 14 years, Darlene George pretended to be Winston’s friend. For 14 years, Darlene George pretended to be someone she is not,” she said. “She is not a friend. A friend would not plot to take a life.” 

Whitfield George said his younger brother adored children and would take the shirt off his back for someone in need. Family members said Winston George left school in his native Trinidad at a young age to help support his mother. She died at age 89 a week and a half after the verdict.

“She died knowing there would be justice,” said Dana Gould, Winston George’s first wife.

Whitefield George said after the hearing he is comfortable with the sentences because Darlene George also has to answer to God. 

“What Darlene did to him, she took away the best person I’ve ever known in life,” he said. “What she put us through, she broke our hearts.”

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.