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Man accused of homicides in Gouverneur, Rossie waives right to preliminary hearing

Posted 3/14/23

CANTON — Adam Smith, the man accused of two homicides in St. Lawrence County, has waived his right to a preliminary hearing, originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 15 in Gouverneur Town Court. …

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Man accused of homicides in Gouverneur, Rossie waives right to preliminary hearing

Posted

CANTON — Adam Smith, the man accused of two homicides in St. Lawrence County, has waived his right to a preliminary hearing, originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 15 in Gouverneur Town Court.

According to a press release from District Attorney Gary Pasqua, the hearing will not be conducted.

The case has now been divested to St. Lawrence County Court, according to the release.

No further court appearances are scheduled at this time.

Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe and District Attorney Gary Pasqua held a press conference on March 7, announcing the charges against Smith.

During the press conference, Bigwarfe said he would not go into specifics about the case due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.

He did confirm Smith was charged with William M. Freeman’s, 67, homicide in Rossie on March 2, saying Smith allegedly stabbed Freeman to death.

Smith was also charged with the murder of Ronald Durham, 72, of Gouverneur.

Durham was found with a stab wound to the neck in a cemetery on Feb. 11.

Police had originally charged Frederick Wing, 22, with Durham death after evaluating evidence found at the scene, however he was released on March 3 after evidence came to light during the investigation of Freeman’s murder.

For more information regarding the two cases, view our previous story here.