A 38-year-old Trenton woman is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge after New York State Police say a loaded shotgun she was handling went off and killed a 31-year-old Holland Patent man inside a Jones Road home. Toni L. Walts was arrested Sept. 30, nearly two weeks after Michael A. Prokopienko died at the scene, following what investigators described as an extensive inquiry into the shooting.
State Police said Walts was handling a loaded double-barrel shotgun at the Jones Road residence on Sept. 17 when she recklessly pointed the firearm toward Prokopienko, and it discharged, striking and killing him, according to syracuse.com. Troopers had responded to the Trenton residence at about 6:40 p.m. that evening after a shots-fired complaint, according to wktv.com, and found Prokopienko dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
Walts was charged with second-degree manslaughter, a class C felony, and arraigned in Oneida County CAP Court before being remanded to the Oneida County Jail. Syracuse.com reported those details before the Newport Dispatch published its account. Her bail was set at $100,000 cash, a $250,000 bond, or a $1.5 million partially secured bond, per the same syracuse.com report.
An Extensive Investigation Led to the Arrest
The arrest came nearly two weeks after the shooting, following what was described as an extensive New York State Police investigation that included numerous interviews and consultation with the Oneida County District Attorney's Office, according to yahoo.com. The length of that process underscores how investigators pieced together the circumstances of the shooting before bringing charges.
Prokopienko, of Holland Patent, worked as an automotive diesel mechanic and owned a business that served several area trucking companies, according to his obituary. His death has left a void in the small Oneida County community where he lived and worked.
What Remains Unclear
Investigators have not released a motive or detailed the relationship between Walts and Prokopienko, and it is not known whether Walts has retained an attorney or entered a plea. It also has not been reported whether she remains in custody or has posted bail since her arraignment.
