Three members of one family died after an attack at a Kathy Drive home where a protective order was in effect.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — More than three years after three members of a Henrietta family were fatally attacked inside their home, their surviving relatives saw the man responsible sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Judge Michael Dollinger sentenced Rajab Banahi, 43, on Tuesday to three concurrent life terms without the possibility of parole for the deaths of his parents, Ali and Mastoora Banahi, and his sister, Masuda Banahi.
The sentencing brought the trial phase of the case to an end but left a family dealing with the permanent loss of three relatives. Assistant District Attorney Patrick Gallagher said surviving siblings had been deeply affected by the killings and would never fully recover from them.
The attack happened Jan. 11, 2023, at Ali and Mastoora Banahi’s home on Kathy Drive. Authorities said Rajab Banahi entered the residence despite an order of protection that barred him from being there.
Prosecutors said Ali Banahi was bedridden because of an illness when his son attacked him with a kitchen knife. Mastoora and Masuda Banahi tried to intervene, according to the prosecution, and were also attacked.
Ali and Mastoora Banahi died at the scene. Masuda Banahi was taken to a hospital and underwent emergency treatment before dying 17 days later.
Authorities said Rajab Banahi called 911 after the attack and admitted to the killings during the call. Monroe County sheriff’s deputies arrested him at the home.
The protective order reflected earlier violence within the family. Prosecutors said Banahi had previously assaulted his father and had threatened to kill him. News10NBC reported that he had served time for assaulting his father at the same residence about 18 months before the fatal attack.
Dollinger found Banahi guilty June 23 after a bench trial. The convictions included three counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated criminal contempt for violating the court order.
Banahi spoke before the sentence was announced. He challenged parts of the prosecution’s account and accused his relatives of bullying him. His remarks did not change the judge’s decision to impose the maximum sentence.
The murder sentences will run concurrently, as will a separate term of two to four years for aggravated criminal contempt. Because the life terms do not allow parole, Banahi is expected to remain incarcerated permanently.
The punishment resolves the immediate question of Banahi’s sentence, but prosecutors said it cannot undo the effect of losing three people in one act of violence. The surviving family must now move forward without Ali, Mastoora and Masuda Banahi as any appellate proceedings unfold.
Author note: Last updated July 30, 2026.