Eva Coo film stars get first look at project’s progress

By: Ted Potrikus 03/10/2022 10:15 am

‘Roadhouse Coup’ filmmaker treats Rotary, stars to sneak preview

Filmmaker Lori Bailey treated Cooperstown’s Rotary Club to three preview clips of her upcoming moving, “A Roadhouse Coup,” filmed entirely in Otsego County and on track for a September 2022 release.

“We’re just about done with shooting the film,” she told a full house of Club members during its March 8 meeting at the Otesaga Hotel. “I’m doing this in ‘docudrama’ style so we’re working hard on the editing. Soon we’ll be done with a feature-length film; I’m looking at an 80-to-90-minute piece when we’re done.”

The film depicts the true story of Eva Coo – the local brothel owner convicted in 1935 of killing Harry “Gimpy” Wright on Crumhorn Mountain Road, tried and convicted in Otsego County, then executed by electric chair at Sing Sing Prison in June 1935. Local dignitaries and residents fill the scenes, with notables like Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh, Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl, and retired state Senator Jim Seward all taking starring roles.

The Rotary meeting was their first chance to see clips from the nearly-finished product.

“Together we’ve made something very special, something to be proud of,” Ms. Bailey said in introducing the clips. Responding to a question about the use of local actors, she said, “I’ve used

Anais Soto sentenced to eight years in Robinson murder case

By: Reporter 07/02/2021 10:27 am

Anais Soto cries Friday, July 2, as she pleads guilty to burglary in the first degree, shortly before sentencing in Otsego County Court. Soto was a defendant in the 2019 murder of Kenneth Robinson. (Kevin Limiti/Allotsego.com).

Anais Soto sentenced
to eight years
in Robinson murder case

By KEVIN LIMITI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – Anais Soto of Oneonta, one of the accomplices in the 2019 murder of Kenneth Robinson during a botched robbery, was sentenced Friday, July 2, to eight years in prison and four years probation after pleading guilty to burglary in the first degree Friday, July 2, in Otsego County Court.

Soto, 17, was visibly shaken during the proceedings, crying at points. Judge John Lambert had to remind her several times to speak up.

District Attorney John Muehl read a statement from Kenneth Robinson’s mother, Sharon Sawyer, in which she called for the highest possible sentence allowed by law.

DA mulls vacating Borggreen plea deal following Robinson murder conviction

By: Staff 07/01/2021 3:26 pm

DA mulls vacating Borggreen plea deal
following Robinson murder conviction

By KEVIN LIMITI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN — Now that the trial of Dylan Robinson has ended in conviction, Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl said he is considering restarting the process against Robinson’s accomplice, Alexander Borggreen, for refusing to testify against Robinson despite making a plea deal.

Muehl said he was satisfied with the conviction, which the jury returned Wednesday, June 23, although he said he was surprised they didn’t convict Robinson of arson.

Robinson was convicted of second degree murder in the Oct. 10, 2019, shooting death of his father, Kenneth Robinson, as well as robbery in the third degree and first degree burglary.

“You have a 15-year-old who killed his father. Nobody takes pleasure in putting a 15-year-old in prison,” Muehl said, calling what Robinson did a “pretty violent crime.”

Muehl said he anticipates a harsh sentence because of the nature of the crime.

Muehl said he hasn’t made a decision on what is going to happen to Borggreen.

“I can make a motion to vacate his plea and his sentence and start over again. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do,” Muehl said. “But once again, we’re dealing with a 17-year-old. They don’t make the greatest decisions, and in reality, him not testifying, other than the fact that he could’ve established for certain for the jury that Dylan Robinson was the one who shot Kenneth Robinson, was almost as good as him testifying.”

The defense attorney for Robinson, Thomas Hegeman, said that the trial “was a tough case.”

“The bottom line is we were offered a plea bargain, my client didn’t like it so we went to trial,” Hegeman said.

The plea deal would’ve been for murder one, with a sentence of 22 to life.

Muehl said the crime was unusual in Otsego. “The last young person I had killed his parents when he was 19,” he said. “In my career I’ve never had anything like this with a 15-year-old.”

Robinson murder trial goes to jury, verdict expected Wednesday

By: Reporter 06/22/2021 6:01 pm

Dylan Robinson, right, appeared in Otsego County Court on Monday, June 21, to face charges that he murdered his father, Kenneth Robinson in 2019. (Kevin Limiti/AllOtsego.com).

Robinson murder trial
goes to jury,
verdict expected Wednesday

By KEVIN LIMITI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOERSTOWN — The second day of the Dylan Robinson trial at the Otsego County Courthouse ended Tuesday, June 22, with jury deliberations, after the prosecution rested and the defense chose not to submit any evidence.

Robinson is accused of allegedly killing his father, Kenneth Robinson, and burning his house after a failed robbery attempt. He is charged with second-degree murder, burglary and attempted robbery in the first degree and third-degree arson.

Tuesday morning testimony began with Cory Robinson, 14, who testified that he remembered the night of Oct. 10, 2019 “because that’s the day my dad died.”

Cory Robinson, 12 at the time, was awoken by gunshots in the house.

He said that armed people came in his home wearing blue bandannas and he recognized two of them as his brother Dylan Robinson and Alexander Borggreen. Someone pointed a gun at him and asked for his phone, so he gave it to them.

Afterwards, he and his brother, Aiden, were told to put pillows up to their faces and walked a short distance from the house. They were told to walk back and found their home in flames.

He found Kenneth Robinson’s body when he came back to the house. “When I took the pillow off, I saw my dad,” Cory Robinson said.

Robinson murder trial begins with dramatic testimony

By: Reporter 06/21/2021 5:08 pm

Robinson murder trial
begins with dramatic testimony

By KEVIN LIMITI • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – The trial of Dylan Robinson over the alleged murder of his father, Kenneth Robinson, at his Worcester home began Monday, June 21, at the Otsego County Courthouse.

Robinson is accused of attempting to rob his father of about $5,000 in marijuana and cash. Robinson was 15 at the time. Robinson and several other local teens were arrested several days after the murder, as was then 32-year-old Oneonta resident Nicolas Meridy.

Alexander Borggreen, then 16, Anais Soto, then 15, Alexis Lotterman, then 16 and Tatiana Febo, then 17, were also arrested.

All of the defendants with the exception of Robinson pled out; Febo and Lotterman had their cases moved to juvenile court.

The robbery apparently went badly, leading to a physical altercation. Kenneth Robinson suffered two fatal gunshot wounds, one to the head and one to the chest.

Afterwards, the defendants attempted to burn his house down to disguise the murder-robbery.

The first day of the trial was punctuated by a couple of dramatic moments, which mirrored the intensity of the crime itself.

“It’s a very simple case,” District Attorney John Muehl said in his opening statement. “A very straightforward case, very heartbreaking case and very sad.”

Robinson Case to begin April 14

By: Tara Barnwell 03/29/2021 2:56 pm

Robinson Case To Begin April 14

Teen accused of killing father for cash, marijuana

Dylan Robinson, then 15, is led into Otsego County Court, Cooperstown for a hearing in October 2019, days after the death of his father. (Libby Cudmore/AllOTSEGO.com)

COOPERSTOWN – The remaining suspect to be tried as an adult in the 2019 murder of Kenneth Robinson of Worcester, his son Dylan Robinson, will see his trial begin with jury selection, which is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14.

Kenneth Robinson, 53, was killed Oct. 10, 2019, in what police and prosecutors have called an attempted robbery of about $5,000 in cash and marijuana. The suspects then attempted to set fire to his house in an effort to disguise the murder.

The police apprehended six suspects soon afterward: Nicolas Meridy, then 32, of Oneonta; Dylan Robinson, then 15, of Worcester; Alexander Borggreen, then 16, of Oneonta; Anais Soto, then 15, of Oneonta; Alexis Lotterman, then 16, of Walton; and Tatiana Febo, then 17, of Downsville.

Proceedings Underway In Truitt Court Case

By: Kathy Peters 01/23/2020 10:44 am

Proceedings Underway

In Truitt Court Case

District Attorney John Muehl, above, makes his opening remarks to the jury during the opening day of the People Vs. Gabriel Truitt, now underway at the Otsego County Courthouse in Cooperstown. Truitt, seen at right, is charged with arson in the first degree and murder in the first and second degree for his alleged involvement in the fire that claimed the life of John Heller at 5 Walling Ave. in Oneonta on Dec 29, 2018. Check back throughout the day for developments in this case. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)

FOUR INDICTED IN WORCESTER MURDER

By: Libby Cudmore 11/20/2019 10:36 am

Teens Will Be Tried As Adults In Dad’s Death

FOUR INDICTED IN

WORCESTER MURDER

Dylan Robinson, 15, is led into Otsego County Court, Cooperstown for a hearing in October. (Libby Cudmore/AllOTSEGO.com)

COOPERSTOWN – The Otsego County grand jury has indicted Dylan Robinson, 15, Alexander Borgreen, 16, Anais Soto, 15 and Nicolas Meridy, 32, for the murder of Dylan’s father Kenneth Robinson, 53, inside his Worcester home in October, District Attorney John Muehl announced this morning.

The three teens and Meridy were indicted on Murder, second degree, Burglary, first degree and Attempted Robbery, first degree.

Muehl has said they broke into the house with the intent of stealing marijuana and money and, in the course of that robbery, Dylan shot his father in the chest and the head.

SON FIRED FATAL SHOT

By: Libby Cudmore 10/17/2019 11:52 am

Troopers: Robbery Planned in Oneonta

TESTIMONY AT HEARING:

SON FIRED FATAL SHOT

Nicolas Meridy, 32, is led out of a felony hearing in the Town of Worcester court, where he was accused of helping orchestra the robbery that led to the murder of Kenneth Robinson at his home in Worcester. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Stephanie Robinson, Kenneth’s niece, recalled how her uncle would do anything for his kids. “He was an amazing father,” she said.

WORCESTER – Dylan Robinson, 15, the son of Kenneth Robinson, woke up his father and shot him during a struggle for the gun, Senior Investigator Ronald Lussi told Worcester Town Justice William Fisher during a felony hearing for Nicolas Meridy, 32, the Oneonta man accused of helping orchestrate the robbery that lead to Robinson’s death.

“During my interview with Mr. Meridy, he did state that there was a planning session at his house at 37 Fairview Ave, Apt. 2 ½, where they planned to rob Mr. Robinson of money and marijuana,” said Lussi. “They then acquired weapons and drove to the residence.”

When they arrived, Lussi said, Dylan opened the door and let Meridy and the others – including Alex Borgreen, 16 – into the home. Anais Soto, 17, is believed to have been waiting outside.

3 OHS Students Appear In Court In Murder Case

By: Libby Cudmore 10/16/2019 3:01 pm

3 OHS Students

Appear In Court

In Murder Case

Walton Girl, At Scene,

Faces Burglary Charges

Dylan Robinson, 15, right, was in Otsego County Court this afternoon on charges that he murdered his father, Kenneth Robinson, 53, during a burglary at his home in Worcester. At left is Alexander Borgreen, 16, also accused in the crime. (Libby Cudmore/AllOTSEGO.com)

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Attorney Dennis Laughlin speaks with his client Anais Soto, 15.

COOPERSTOWN – Dylan Robinson, 15, appeared in Otsego County Court this afternoon, accused of the second-degree murder of his father, Kenneth Robinson, 53, during a burglary in Worcester last week.

Also accused in the murder and burglary, first degree, were Alexander Borgreen, 16, and Anais Soto, 15.

All three are Oneonta High School students.

“The facts established that Robinson, Borgreen and Soto were in the residence at the time of the shooting,” District Attorney John Muehl told County Judge John Lambert. “They all had weapons. It doesn’t matter that some of them didn’t pull the trigger; they’re just as guilty.”

Worcester Man Had Multiple Gunshot Wounds

By: Libby Cudmore 10/14/2019 1:34 pm

‘Multiple Gunshot

Wounds’ Felled

Worcester Victim

Fifth Suspect – Fourth Juvenile – Held

For Burglary In Murder Investigation

Scott Heggelke, Captain of the Bureau of Criminal Investigators, Troop C, said that Kenneth Robinson was shot multiple times with long guns at his home in Worcester on Thursday. Five people, four of them juveniles, were arrested and charged, four with murder in the second degree and burglary in the first degree and one with burglary, first degree. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special To www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – State police confirmed today that Kenneth Robinson, 53, was shot multiple times with a “long gun” in the course of a robbery at his home on Head Road on Thursday, Oct. 10.

“The first responding troopers saw a man lying just inside his door,” said BCI Capt. Scott Heggelke, Troop C, in a 12:30 press conference at the State Police Oneonta Barracks. “The house was on fire, but the trooper pulled him outside, and it was obvious that he was the apparent victim of multiple gunshot wounds.”

Oneonta Man, Teens Charged In Worcester Man’s Murder

By: Libby Cudmore 10/11/2019 8:42 pm

BODY WITH BULLET HOLE FOUND

ONEONTA MAN,

TEENS CHARGED

WITH MURDER

Kenneth Robinson’s body was found inside his home on Head Road in Worcester. The cause of death was a gunshot wound. (Photo provided by State Police Troop C)

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special To www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – An Oneonta man and three teenagers were charged with murder after they allegedly shot a Worcester man to death in his home last night.

Nicolas Meridy, 32, one 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds, all of Oneonta, were arrested after the body of Kenneth W. Robinson, 53, was found with a fatal gunshot wound inside of his residence on Head Road in Worcester.

Assistant DA: We Have Truitt On Video

By: Libby Cudmore 04/24/2019 10:24 am

Assistant DA:

We Have Truitt On Video

Green: It Shows Suspect Carrying Accelerant

Gabrielle Truitt confers with his attorney Lee Kindlon after being denied bail by County Judge Brian D. Burns this morning in Otsego County Court. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – Video evidence shows accused arsonist Gabriel Truitt, 33, with the accelerant found in front of Heather Engler’s apartment door in the Walling Avenue fire that killed former Oneonta firefighter John Heller, Assistant District Attorney Will Green said during this morning’s arraignment in Otsego County Court.

“Video evidence shows the defendant with isopropyl alcohol going to and from the crime scene,” the prosecutor said.

Killer Ricky Knapp Dies In Prison

By: Libby Cudmore 04/21/2018 10:09 am

Killer Knapp Dies In Prison;

Guilty In SUNY Coed’s Death

ONEONTA – Ricky Knapp, the man convicted of the 1977 death of SUNY Oneonta student, has died in Mohawk Correctional Facility, according to prison records.

Knapp, 66, died March 8, having served 40 years of a 25-to-life sentence for a 1978 manslaughter conviction in the death of 18-year-old Linda Velzy, a SUNY student from Long Island. According to reports, Velzy was last seen Dec. 9 1977, hitchhiking in downtown Oneonta.

Cameras Set Stage, Helped Solve Killing

By: Libby Cudmore 04/03/2018 10:09 pm

Cameras Set Stage,

Helped Solve Killing

Joshua Underwood is led into Otsego County Court by Deputy Leigh Prostak ahead of a hearing last December. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)

By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – Otsego County’s first slaying of 2017 – on New Year’s morning – happened in an Oneonta apartment with a surveillance camera in every room.

The cameras helped put suspect Joshua Underwood, 25, in the victim’s room, and help convict the man, said District Attorney John Muehl.

Underwood was convicted Friday, March 30, to 20 years in jail.

“Witnesses said they got into a fight about Joshua Underwood having a girlfriend,” said Muehl. “Morrison went to bed, and on video, we have Underwood checking on Morrison. Shortly after that, the video went out, and that’s about the approximate time Morrison was killed.”

News of Otsego County

Teens Will Be Tried As Adults In Dad’s Death

Troopers: Robbery Planned in Oneonta

Walton Girl, At Scene,

Faces Burglary Charges

Fifth Suspect – Fourth Juvenile – Held

For Burglary In Murder Investigation

Green: It Shows Suspect Carrying Accelerant

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