Anthony Pavone brought back for arraignment

Local News

Related Photos

Anthony” Tony” Pavone is brought into the State Police barracks in Plattsburgh after his arrest early Friday near Binghamton. He is charged in the murders of Timothy Carter and Patricia Howard. Kelli Catana
Anthony "Tony" V. Pavone Photo Provided
Timothy Carter P-R File Photo
Patricia Howard Photo Provided

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.

comments powered by Disqus

February 5, 2010

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG The Press Republican Fri Feb 05, 2010, 05:06 PM EST

PLATTSBURGH — After five days on the run and a four-hour standoff, Anthony “Tony” Pavone tearfully admitted to his crimes when he was returned to the area.

Pavone, 52, of Morrisonville was under heavy security when he arrived in Plattsburgh around noon to face charges for the weekend double homicide in Dannemora.

As he was being escorted into the Plattsburgh State Police station, Pavone apologized to the families of Timothy Carter, 52, of Dannemora and Patricia Howard, 43, of Plattsburgh.

Late Thursday night, Broome County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Sienko — on routine patrol in the Binghamton suburb of Kirkwood — spotted Pavone’s pickup truck in parking lot of the Del Motel.

MOTEL SURROUNDED

Knowing Pavone was considered dangerous, the Sheriff’s Department notified State Police Troop C and other law-enforcement agencies, and SWAT and tactical teams were assembled.

After evacuating the motel, authorities contacted Pavone, who “advised he was armed and refused to surrender,” Broome County Sheriff’s Department officials said Friday.

Negotiations continued for about four hours.

State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Capt. Robert LaFountain said Pavone did not make threats toward authorities during the standoff, “however, there were threats of suicide.”

Pavone finally walked out of his room about 4 a.m., and police grabbed him without incident.

THERE SINCE TUESDAY

Ashok Patel, who owns the Del Motel, said Pavone showed up there Tuesday and checked in under the name James Trombley.

Patel said Pavone stayed all week and kept to himself for most of his stay, although, once, he offered to shovel snow from the motel’s parking lot.

“He seemed normal enough,” Patel told the Press-Republican.

Patel said Pavone didn’t seem anxious or upset. The motel owner was shocked to hear Pavone was wanted for a double homicide.

“In 10 years, nothing like this have ever happened,” Patel said.

He said the three other guests inside the motel were not harmed as the drama unfolded early Friday.

‘I’M SORRY’

As Pavone was being brought into Plattsburgh State Police barracks this morning to be processed, he started to cry and said, “I’m sorry for the families.”

At his arraignment in Clinton County Court Friday afternoon on two counts of second-degree murder, Pavone shocked the courtroom with a bold confession.

“I’d like to plead guilty to whatever I’m charged with,” he said, his voice breaking and tears streaming down his face.

Despite the repeated advice of Clinton County Court Judge Patrick McGill, Pavone said he did not want an attorney or to fight the charges.

“And I don’t want bail,” Pavone said.

But because McGill was acting as a lower-court judge for the arraignment, he could not accept Pavone’s attempt to plead guilty, due to the legal requirements of initial felony arraignments.

Before he was escorted from the courtroom in shackles, a red-faced and emotional Pavone stared blankly at members of Carter’s family who attended the arraignment.

SEARCH UNDER WAY

Authorities are executing a search warrant at Pavone’s motel room, where they are expected to secure the murder weapon.

Officials have not said what type of gun was used in the shootings.

Police are continuing to investigate Pavone’s whereabouts before he arrived in Kirkwood, about 300 miles away from his alleged crimes.

Howard had been Pavone’s girlfriend until recently, but she had just started dating Carter.

Police were called to Carter’s Route 374 home early Sunday morning after Howard called the Plattsburgh State Police barracks to report that Pavone was outside the residence and refused to leave the property.

When troopers arrived less than a half-hour later, they found signs of forced entry and the couple shot to death inside the home.

A massive manhunt has continued since then, with aerial and ground searches across the North Country and police on the lookout nationwide.

Many people speculated that Pavone, a former correction sergeant and Marine, would not be found alive.

NOD TO POLICE

Troop B State Police Commander Maj. Richard C. Smith Jr. said Pavone’s apprehension was the result of tireless work by law-enforcement personnel from several agencies and the “diligent, self-initiated work” of Deputy Sienko.

Broome County Sheriff’s Department Detective Sgt. Jason Ellis also commended Sienko, a four-year veteran of the force, for being “very diligent in his efforts last night. And it resulted in the apprehension of a (suspected) murderer.”

Sienko reportedly saw the truck, blocked it in with his patrol car and ran the license plate, confirming it was the focus of the nationwide alert.

He then secured the area until backup arrived moments later.

Ellis said Pavone threatened suicide “two or three times” during the standoff but did not make any requests during the negotiations.

He now sits behind bars at Clinton County Jail without bail and will reappear in court Monday morning.

GRATEFUL

After his arraignment, Carter’s family expressed their gratitude to police for taking the admitted killer into custody.

“It’s a relief to see him in custody,” Carter’s son, Bryan, said as his sisters, Kelly and Sara, nodded in agreement.

Hearing Pavone admit his guilt, Bryan said, “felt really good. It was like a breath of fresh air

“It’s not over, but there’s some sense of closure now, and my dad can rest in peace.”

Howard’s oldest daughter, Sarah, went to court Friday after her mother’s services. Outside of the crowded courtroom, she met and embraced Carter’s children.

The children, now united in tragedy, vowed to stay in touch as the case moves forward.

Ironically, Pavone was captured only 20 minutes from where Carter’s three children now live.

If convicted on the second-degree murder charges alone, Pavone faces 25 years to life in prison.

At a morning news conference, Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie said second-degree murder charges Pavone “with intentional murder.” He said additional charges are likely.

At the times of the deaths, Howard was a dental hygienist in Plattsburgh and Carter was a civilian filter-plant operator at Clinton Correctional Facility.

They were killed on their second date as they celebrated Howard’s 43rd birthday.

— News Editor Lois Clermont contributed to this report.