Dustin HillPlattsburgh, New York - August 7, 2011
An early morning walk for a Plattsburgh man turned deadly.
Plattsburgh City Police spent the day searching for clues around the footbridge over the Saranac River across from City Hall. Police say this is where 32-year old Jason Larabie of Plattsburgh was murdered.
"At this point we believe it was a chance encounter, we don't believe the victim had any prior knowledge to his attacker," said Plattsburgh Police Chief Desmond Racicot.
Police say Larabie met 21-year-old Dustin Hill of Plattsburgh and the two headed back to Larabie's car. That's when Hill allegedly launched a brutal attack on Larabie, starting with his bare hands. "After he struck and got the victim in a chokehold, he actually choked him out until he was unconscious and continued to choke him until he stopped breathing," Chief Racicot said. "At that point he took the wallet from the victim, went back to the walk bridge, took the money out and threw the contents of the wallet into the river."
Larabie's body was found around 5:45 Sunday morning by a man walking his dog by the public boat launch off Green Street. A few hours later, investigators were tipped off to Hill. He lives on Waterhouse Street in the City. "We did get some information from different callers," Chief Racicot said.
"I never would have pictured something like this happening," said Kelley McGrath, who has lived on Waterhouse Street for 30 years. She says she never met Hill before, but had seen him around the neighborhood recently. McGrath watched as investigators searched his home for clues most of the day. "When things like that happen I become very uncomfortable. I want to know what's going on, especially when you see more than one cop car," Mcgrath said.
Dustin Hill is charged with second degree murder and robbery and was expected to be arraigned Monday.
Matt Henson - WCAX News
