CANTON — A Lake Placid man who also has a home in Gouverneur has been charged with murdering 67-year-old William M. Freeman. Officials expect he will also be charged with killing 72-year-old Ronald E. “Huck” Durham.
St. Lawrence County sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday afternoon charged Adam W. Smith, 46, with second-degree murder.
Sheriff Brooks J. Bigwarfe said Smith has been incarcerated at the county correctional facility in Canton since March 2. On that date, Smith was charged with felony fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property after deputies arrested him driving Mr. Freeman’s 2018 Chevrolet Silverado truck. He was apprehended near the Bradley Street exit on Interstate 81 near Watertown, heading north.
Mr. Bigwarfe said an autopsy showed Mr. Freeman died of multiple stab wounds and described Smith as dangerous. Mr. Freeman was found dead at his home, 258 County Route 10, Rossie, on March 2.
“This individual that’s been arrested for this pretty heinous crime, through our investigation, appears to be a very dangerous individual,” the sheriff said.
“There are no other suspects in either of the investigations at this time,” District Attorney Gary M. Pasqua said.
The district attorney said Smith is the prime suspect in the Feb. 11 murder of Mr. Durham in Gouverneur’s East Riverside Cemetery. Mr. Durham died of a stab wound to the neck. Mr. Pasqua wouldn’t comment on whether the same knife was used in both murders.
He said because of “physical evidence collecte
