Mar 22, 2008 5:25 am US/Eastern
'Black Widow' Charged In Fire Marshal Murder
Staten Island DA: Janet Redmond-Mercereau Hid Evidence
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
-
-
Brooklyn fire marshal Douglas Mercereau was found shot to death inside his Staten Island home.
CBS
Four months after a Staten Island fire marshal was found shot to death his widow on Friday was charged and arraigned for his murder.
CBS 2 HD was in the courtroom when the indictment was unsealed.
Janet Redmond-Mercereau said nothing as she was led into court to hear murder charges against her and was called her husband's executioner by Staten Island District Attorney Donald Donovan.
"I can tell you there were no other suspects, and the investigation was very thorough," Donovan said.
Back on Dec. 2, FDNY Fire Marshal Douglas Mercereau was shot three times in the head while he lay sleeping in his bed. The gun used in the murder was his own.
Redmond-Mercereau's explanation for what went on that night has prosecutors scratching their heads.
"She doesn't know what happened that night," attorney Mario Gallucci said. "When she awoke she did what she normally did, she took a shower, she did the laundry."
Gallucci said the former school teacher and mother of two is innocent and claimed responsibility for his client's often jovial appearance in front of news cameras.
"I said, 'You should smile,'" he said. "When she didn't smile they were saying she was the 'black widow.' Now she's smiling and she is a merry widow."
Donovan said during the two hours between the murder and when 9-1-1 was called Redmond-Mercereau took several showers, washed her clothes and washed the gun, the gun used to kill her husband.
"She showered numerous times to take DNA and any forensic evidence off the murder weapon. Shell casings were removed from the scene and put somewhere else in the house," Donovan said.
Redmond-Mercereau is charged with second degree murder and remanded without bail. If convicted she faces 25 years to life in prison.
Gallucci said he might ask for a change of venue. Both sides are due back in Supreme Court on April 15.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
2009 Celebrity Deaths
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments