Homicide probe leads to release of man

CANTON, New York (WWNY) - The investigation into the killing of a Rossie man took a surprising turn Friday night, as authorities released a man being held in St. Lawrence County on a separate murder charge.

Frederick Wing was being held on a murder charge after a man was found dead in a Gouverneur cemetery three weeks ago.

But Friday evening, St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary Pasqua told 7 News Wing is being released at the request of both his lawyer and the DA’s office, because of new evidence found during the investigation into the death of William Freeman.

Freeman, 67, was found dead Thursday inside his trailer home. Authorities have said his death is a homicide, and have launched what they describe as a wide ranging investigation into the killing.

Pasqua said Wing is being released to the supervision of the St. Lawrence County probation department. Pasqua expects to have more to say Saturday.

Wing was accused of stabbing 72 year old Ronald Durham in the neck on Saturday, February 11, but there was widespread skepticism in and around Gouverneur about the charge because the two men were friends.

“Based upon what I know now and what I believe the District Attorney’s office knows and law enforcement has in their possession, I don’t think there’s any way they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that my client’s responsible,” Wing’s lawyer, Ed Narrow, told 7 News Friday night.

Narrow anticipates the charges against Wing will be dropped, “but that’s a decision that’ll have to be made by the District Attorney’s office.”

Narrow said that another person is in custody, something the authorities have not said.

Asked by 7 News News Director Jeff Cole whether the two cases are related, Narrow said “I think so.

“I think that the individual who’s responsible for the homicide in Rossie also may be the person responsible for the homicide in Gouverneur,” Narrow said.

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