One of the man charged in the death of a concert violinist more than a year ago has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
31-year-old Charles Sanford had been scheduled for trial early next year, but will now be sentenced on February 29 in Chautauqua County Court and, if her cooperates during the prosecution of co-defendant 44-year-old Jonathan Conklin, he could face 15 years to life in state prison. District Attorney David Foley says if Sanford doesn’t cooperate he’ll ask for the maximum of 25 years to life.
The men were charged for killing 61-year-old Mary Whitaker in her Westfield, New York, home on August 20, 2014, during a burglary. After she let them inside her home to use the phone, she was shot in the chest and leg, dragged into the garage and stabbed in the throat.
They then stole her car and credit cards, and were caught two days later after using them at various businesses in Erie.