State Police arrest Poughkeepsie man in connection with Town of Hyde Park homicide
NEW YORK STATE POLICE
Major Robin H. Benziger
Troop K Commander
845-677-7300
PRESS RELEASE
On March 17, 2015, at approximately 10:00am, the New York State Police and the Town of Hyde Park Police responded to the former Hudson River Psychiatric Center located on Cheney Drive in the Town of Hyde Park for a reported suspicious death.
Employees of the New York State Office of Mental Health discovered a deceased female located on the property near a storage shed.
The deceased female was later identified as Jerusha Christie, 27, of Poughkeepsie, New York.
An autopsy was performed by Dr. Dennis Shute at the Dutchess County Medical Examiner’s Office who determined the cause of death to be a stab wound to the chest and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
As a result, State Police, Hyde Park Police, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office started a joint investigation into the murder of Ms. Christie.
The investigation led police to 333 Mansion Street in the City of Poughkeepsie. Police determined that to be the location where the victim was killed, and subsequently executed a search warrant at the address.
As a result the investigation, the following two subjects were arrested in connection with Christie’s Death:
William D. McKinney, 55, of Poughkeepsie – charged with Murder in the 2nd Degree
Gerome Harris, 33, of Poughkeepsie – charged with Hindering Prosecution in the 1st Degree.
The investigation determined Harris was involved in disposing of the body.
The State Police would like to thank the Hyde Park Police and Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office for the collaborative effort between all three agencies that resulted in these arrests.
Photos courtesy of Dutchess County Jail
