POLICE: MAN, 25, CONFESSED
Suspect Held In
New Year’s Death
ONEONTA – A 25-year-old Oneonta man called police and confessed to killing his friend in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, Oneonta Police report.
At 3:30 a.m. today, officers met Joshua P. Underwood at the Mirabito on Southside after Underwood called 911 and said, “I think I killed my friend,” the OPD reports.
Underwood was taken to the station. Officers were sent to 229 Main St. where they report finding a 52-year-old male dead from “blunt force trauma.”
“We believe alcohol was a factor,” reported Lt. Douglas Brenner.
Brenner said Underwood is believed to have started a fire in what may have been an attempt to cover up his crime. “We found papers that had been lit on fire, but they didn’t burn long enough to even set off the smoke detector,” said the lieutenant.
The victim’s name is being withheld, pending notification of next of kin.
Underwood was charged with murder, second degree, a class A-1 felony, attempted arson, second degree, a class C felony, and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a class D felony. If convicted, he faces life in prison.
The suspect is being held at the Oneonta Police Department pending arraignment in City Court.
The investigation is continuing with support and assistance from the State Police Forensic Investigation Unit, State Police Computer Crimes Unit, Oneonta Police Detective Division and Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl.
Headline says man confesses, article says he thinks he may have killed his friend. How is that a confession?
The question remains was he in his right mind with all of the alcohol in him. Dose he have any mental issue’s that lead to this to me it sounds like he might have been sorry. I could be wrong though I don’t know the man personally but he looks like he had been crying in his picture his eyes are kind of red.