A 15-year-old Saugerties boy has been charged with second‑degree murder after an adult woman was found dead Sunday in the hamlet of West Camp, according to local authorities. Police have not released the teen's name. He was arraigned in the youth part of the Town of Saugerties Justice Court and sent to a secure juvenile detention facility without bail as investigators continue to work the case.
The investigation kicked off shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, when the Saugerties Police Department received information about a possible homicide in the area of John Schultz Road, according to Daily Voice. The probe has drawn help from the New York State Police, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office and the Ulster County Child Advocacy Center. Authorities arrested a 15‑year‑old Saugerties resident and charged him with second‑degree murder, and police say more charges are likely.
Saugerties Police Chief Kenneth Swart told the Times Union that "his actions resulted in the death of an 88‑year‑old woman," and said investigators are still working to learn how the teen and the victim knew each other. The paper reports that someone walked into a police station to report the alleged homicide. State police have declined to comment while the case remains active.
How the case will move through court
The teen was processed, arraigned in the Town of Saugerties Justice Court sitting as the Youth Part of the Superior Court, and remanded to a secure facility without bail, according to WPDH. Under New York's Raise the Age reforms, most 16‑ and 17‑year‑olds are handled in specialized youth parts or Family Court, but the law keeps pathways open to prosecute the most serious violent felonies through the adult criminal system, as outlined by NYCourts.
What investigators say and next steps
Authorities have not released the victim’s name while the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office and state investigators continue reviewing evidence, and police say additional charges may follow, according to Daily Voice. Local prosecutors and state police will decide whether to add more counts as the case moves through future youth‑part proceedings, and upcoming court filings or a DA's press release are expected to spell out the next steps.
The story is expected to develop as prosecutors and police release more details and court records become public. Per the Saugerties Police Department website, the agency lists contact information for the public. The investigation is still active, and officials are asking anyone with information that could help the case to reach out to investigators.
