Plattsburgh man pleads guilty to murder of mother, daughter

PLATTSBURGH | A Plattsburgh man has pleaded guilty to the gruesome December murders of a beloved mother and daughter. According to the Clinton County District Attorney's Office, Joe Hewett returned to Clinton County Court Monday morning for a pre-trial conference when he pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, third-degree arson and two counts of concealment of a human corpse. Hewett has been in custody since mid-December for the deaths of Willsboro natives Miranda Wade, 42, and Karen Lindsay, 64. As their loved ones and police initially searched for the pair, who abruptly went missing after Wade's work shift Dec. 5, Hewett- Wade's live-in boyfriend- used the missing woman's phone to try to evade the investigation and ongoing search by assuring family and friends of their safety. But the shocking tragedy of their brutal deaths came to light Dec. 15 when an early morning fire erupted inside the women's Birch Street residence, soon revealing their bodies hidden on an adjacent property. Hewett, 50, was accused of killing both women, later dismembering them with a chainsaw and removing their remains to the nearby property. A quick response to the fire by first responders and police thwarted his plans to remove their remains further from the area. Hewett is now scheduled to reappear before County Court Judge William A. Favreau June 12 at 9:30 a.m., when he will be sentenced to two consecutive 25-year-to-life sentences for each murder as well as 7.5-15 years for arson and two-to-four years on each count of concealment of a human corpse. The sentences for arson and human concealment are to be imposed concurrently. Many of Wade and Lindsay's family members were present in court for Hewett's guilty plea. District Attorney Andrew Wylie said the court appearance was scheduled for a pre-trial conference, but the defendant, through his attorney, advised the court he was ready to enter a plea of guilty. Wylie said plea negotiations had been ongoing for several weeks before Hewett accepted the terms of the offer. "It was crucial to this office and the victims' family members that Hewett receive either a life without parole sentence or two consecutive 25 years to life sentences, which we were able to accomplish today. The family members were extremely relieved that this part of the case is behind us," District Attorney Wylie said.

Signup for our newsletter

Plattsburgh man pleads guilty to murder of mother, daughter

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS