Brandon T. Woody entered a not guilty plea for two counts of murder at his initial hearing this morning.
Woody, 22, of 605 North Street, Syracuse, is charged with the murders of Joshua Knisley, 19, and Tara Thornburg, 23, in Thornburg’s Syracuse home Feb. 19. Knisley was found dead at the scene and Thornburg identified Woody as the shooter before she was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head. Thornburg died Feb. 20 and the charge for attempted murder was amended to a second count of murder.
Before his hearing started, Woody was laughing, talking and fist bumping with other inmates seated around him. Shortly before his hearing began, Knisley’s family members entered the courtroom shaking and sobbing while taking their seat.
Kosciusko County Senior Judge Duane Huffer said criminal charges were filed against Woody and explained Woody’s rights to him.
After hearing his rights, Woody said he would obtain is own attorney and entered a not guilty plea. If convicted, a murder felony carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years in prison. Woody has a status conference scheduled for March 30 at 10 a.m. and a pre-trial conference scheduled for April 27 at 3 p.m.
(Story by The Times Union)
