A 30-year-old man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally shooting his father on a rural road in Ossian in December 2024, then driving the body to a Livingston County sheriff's office parking lot the following night. Richard Fluegel Jr. admitted to killing his 60-year-old father, Richard Fluegel Sr. of Irondequoit, in a case that stunned investigators with its bizarre aftermath nearly two years ago.
Fluegel shot and killed his father on Bonner Road in Ossian on Dec. 8, 2024, according to 13wham.com. The following night, he drove his father's body to the sheriff's office parking lot himself, where his defense attorney called 911 to report that they were there with a body.
Charges Followed a Bizarre Discovery
Fluegel was arrested on Dec. 10, 2024, and charged with murder, criminal use of a firearm, and tampering with physical evidence, the station's report notes. A criminal complaint cited by WHEC alleges he intentionally shot his father twice with an illegally owned 12-gauge shotgun. At his arraignment that same night, Fluegel pleaded not guilty, per the same account.
Investigators later explained why the case straddled two jurisdictions. According to the station's earlier report, the sheriff's office said the actual crime scene was on Bonner Road, which is why the murder and weapons charges were filed in Ossian while the tampering charge was tied to Geneseo, where the body was ultimately left.
Guilty Plea Comes Nearly Two Years Later
Fluegel pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder, per the same account, closing out a case that had sat in the court system since his initial arrest. Livingston County District Attorney Ashley Williams said the defendant finally accepted responsibility for the senseless and heinous murder of his father.
Williams said the resolution provides justice, ensures community safety, and allows the Fluegel family time to heal. Her office said it will continue to stand with victims and their families and will hold accountable those who commit serious acts of violence in Livingston County.
Sentencing Set for December, With Some Details Unresolved
Fluegel faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison, the station's report states. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 3, 2026, though RochesterFirst reports he is expected to be sentenced to 20 years to life in prison at that hearing.
It remains unclear from available court reporting whether the firearm and evidence-tampering charges were resolved alongside the murder plea. The record also does not spell out the full terms of any plea agreement behind the anticipated sentence.
