When Liverpool Police Chief Bill Becker called a Jan. 14 press conference at the Village Hall to discuss the case of the dead baby dumped in a Liverpool trash bin, he was joined at the podium by District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick and Sheriff Kevin Walsh.
In an impromptu statement, the DA called the victim “Isabella,” the name given her by Becker’s staff.
“The Liverpool Police Department certainly treated this little victim with tremendous dignity and respect,” Fitzpatrick noted.
Shotgun slaying not forgotten
After the question-and-answer session concluded, I chatted briefly with each of Onondaga County’s top law enforcement officials.
Village residents will be happy to hear that the sheriff’s office is continuing its investigation into the shotgun slaying of Liverpool native Mark Clark. The 39-year-old collectible toy dealer was found the morning of Monday April 21, 2008, in his upstairs bedroom in a rental property at 109 Cleveland St., in the village.
“That case is still being actively investigated,” Sheriff Walsh told me on Jan. 14. “In fact, just this morning I had a conversation with [Chief Police Deputy] Ted Botsford about it.”
Walsh said his detectives and deputies continue to work with the LPD on the unsolved homicide.
Three months from now we’ll mark the third anniversary of that rare village violence.
Anticipating Pieper trial
I spoke to DA Fitzpatrick as he exited the Village Hall Jan. 14, and he assured me that his investigators were looking into suspicious postings on a MySpace page created by Clay murder victim Jenni-Lyn Watson. Fitzpatrick plans to personally take suspect Steve Pieper to trial for murdering the college co-ed last November.
Those MySpace postings were initially reported in this column on Dec. 8.
Joanie’s big joke
A few of my most faithful readers recognized my free-wheeling writing style and correctly identified last week’s page 5 column “No one’s laughing at Joanie’s ‘big joke'” as my work, even though the “Livin’ in Liverpool” standing headline and my handsome headshot were missing.
For those who mentioned it to me, thanks for noticing!
For those who missed it, you might find it at eaglestarreview.com. Or drop me an e-mail and I’ll send you a copy…[email protected].
Isreal Hagan solos here Feb. 3
Syracuse Area Music Hall of Famer Isreal Hagan will perform solo from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, at the Caf at 407 at Ophelia’s Place, 407 Tulip St.
Admission is free. For info visit ophelia’splace.org, or call 451-5544.
An accomplished songwriter and singer, Hagan uses his voice and guitar to present a no-frills solo rhythm & blues experience like none other in CNY.
For the past quarter-century, Hagan has fronted Syracuse’s premier R&B group, Stroke, and in recent years he has been vocalizing with the venerable Mario DeSantis Orchestra. In his solo act, the four-time Sammy Award-winning singer combines the excitement of a live R&B show with the intimacy of a coffeehouse setting.
