NORWICH – New York State Police are scaling back local operations in their homicide investigation of a Norwich resident who was shot and killed in his home over two weeks ago.
Troopers removed the crime scene tape surrounding the murder scene from the victim’s residence at 5220 State Route 23 in the Town of Norwich last week after being stationed at the site for 24 hours a day since discovering William E. Lee’s body on Nov. 13.
An autopsy revealed that the 61-year-old Norwich native was killed by a gunshot wound to the head a few days before a relative found his body and called 911. Police gave no specific date, but said they believe Lee was killed sometime around Nov. 9.
Police have also relocated their base of operations from the Norwich City Police station to the New York State Police barracks on Rt. 12 in the Town of Norwich.
Captain Mark A. Lester said the change in operations was normal for a homicide investigation.
“As an investigator, the longest part of this process can be waiting for the forensic results to be completed,” said Lester.
Lester said Troopers worked closely with the Norwich Police Department and Chenango County Sheriff’s Office because the two agencies had close ties in the community.
Lester said he couldn’t speculate on when an arrest might take place, but said investigators were getting closer. He also noted that the Norwich homicide was not especially difficult when compared to other homicide investigations police had recently investigated.
Police have not released any additional information on the case since declaring it a homicide Nov. 14.
This marks the longest period of time that a murderer has remained at large in Chenango County out of the last four homicide investigations in the area in the last two years.
• Accused murderer Joshua T. Story, 24, of 33 Classic St., Sherburne, was arrested at the scene of the alleged crime after Sheriff’s deputies stormed his apartment and found him sleeping in his bed just half an hour after he allegedly shot his friend, Kallin P. Richards, 24, of New Berlin. Police have not released the details of the Story’s alleged motive, but said the two men were drinking together the night of the incident and were involved in a heated argument.
Story allegedly shot Richards outside of his residence at Sherburne Meadows Apartments with a shotgun as the victim attempted to leave the scene in his pick-up. The case is still pending and is scheduled for early 2009.
• Robert R. Reynolds, 46, and Nicholas S. Simonds, 21 of Pleasant Valley Road, Sherburne were both arrested for tampering with evidence after hiding the body of Joshua D. Richheimer, 32.
Police arrested the two men July 31, 2007 after receiving a report of a missing person a week earlier. Investigators visiting Reynolds’ residence in an attempt to gather information on Richheimer discovered bullet holes at the home. After a brief interview with Reynolds, he admitted to the shooting.
The Sheriff’s Office, with the aid of the State Police, launched a homicide investigation into the death and later discovered it to be self defense. Reynolds, a drug dealer, shot Richheimer as he attempted to rob him at gun point in his home. Reynolds and Simonds then buried the body.
Reynolds received two and a half years in prison for criminal possession of marijuana.
• George Ford Jr., 42, of Piscataway, N.J. is charged with the murder of his 12-year-old baby-sitter and was arrested the morning after her death. He drove himself and the victim to Chenango Memorial Hospital five hours after the incident took place at around 5 a.m. July 8, 2007 in the Town of South Otselic.
Ford claimed he accidentally ran over Shyanne Somers with his pick up truck as he was turning around at about midnight. To account for the delay in reporting the incident, Ford said he was grief stricken and became lost on the way to the hospital.
Sheriff’s deputies initially arrested Ford and held him on felony reckless endangerment. Later it was discovered that his wife had placed a GPS tracking system in his truck that investigators said contradicted the defendant’s story. Allegedly it shows Ford’s truck at an abandoned house for nearly three hours and that the vehicle was driving around downtown Norwich before going to the hospital. Reynolds was then charged with second degree murder. The case was recently rescheduled from beginning jury selection on Dec. 1 to an unspecified date later in January.
• Convicted murderer Daniel L. Brown, 46, was arrested by the Norwich PD for the slaying of his landlord Tammy L. Periard two days after area police launched an intense search for the missing woman on March 26, 2007. Two days later, March 28, police received a suspicious call from Brown at the Norwich police station, who posed as another person attempting to admit to the crime. Officers recognized Brown’s voice and a search of his residence lead to the discovery of the victim’s body, still in his bedroom.
Brown admitted to the rape, robbery and murder, he was sentenced to 25 years to life on Dec. 14, 2007.