Smith charged with second murder

TOWN OF GOUVERNEUR, New York (WWNY) - Adam Smith, the Lake Placid man already accused of one murder, was charged Friday in connection with the stabbing death of a second man in St. Lawrence County.

The 46-year-old was arraigned at noon in Gouverneur Town Court.

Smith is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 72-year-old Ronald “Huck” Durham.

Durham was stabbed in the neck in the town of Gouverneur on February 11. His body was found at East Riverside Cemetery.

Twenty-two-year-old Frederick Wing was originally charged with Durham’s death. Now, he’s out on probation.

District Attorney Gary Pasqua said while law enforcement doesn’t believe Wing took Durham’s life, Wing has intimate knowledge of what happened in the cemetery where Durham was killed, and that they believe he is sharing it truthfully.

On Tuesday, Smith was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 67-year-old William Freeman. Freeman was found dead on March 2 in his home at 258 County Route 10 in the town of Rossie.

Earlier this week, officials said Smith knew both Freeman and Durham but would share no further details other than saying they were “associated.”

No motive has been released in either murder investigation.

Smith, who has a residence in the town of Gouverneur, has a criminal record in St. Lawrence County.

Pasqua said state police charged Smith with third-degree burglary in the town of Fine in January 2022; Smith was out on probation when both men were killed.

Following Friday’s arraignment, Smith was returned to the St. Lawrence County Jail where he’s being held without bail. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for next Wednesday.

In a news release, Pasqua encouraged people with information on the deaths of William Freeman and Ronald Durham to contact state police at 315-379-0012 or the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office at 315-379-2222.

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