Suspect convicted in 2019 Auburn murder case

AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — After five years, a suspect has been convicted in the 2019 murder of 36-year-old Joshua Poole.

On Friday, March 15, 27-year-old Gage Ashley was convicted of Murder in the Second Degree for killing Poole at 8 Delevan Street in the City of Auburn on November 15, 2019.

In November 2020, Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said 38-year-old Christian Rivera planned a robbery in November of 2019 that resulted in the murder of Poole, which was the first homicide in Auburn since 2013.

According to Budelmann, Rivera provided Ashley — along with 22-year-old Lucciano Spagnola and 24-year-old Tyree Anglin — with weapons, ammunition and money to purchase gloves and masks.

Rivera also allegedly provided them with marijuana, cocaine, synthetic drugs and alcohol before sending them to commit the robbery, while he stayed at home.

Police said Ashley was armed with a handgun during the alleged robbery and Spagnola had a shotgun and Anglin was with them as well. 

Investigators said the three bought ski masks from Walmart a few days before and tried to burn their clothes and hide their evidence from police in a crawl space. Police also found a vehicle –that they believed was the getaway car — in the Seneca River in Cato shortly after that was connected to the crime.

On Thursday, March 14, 2024, the jury of seven men and five women began their deliberation around 1:15 p.m. and reached a verdict on Ashley by 1:45 p.m. on Friday.

The jury not only found Ashley guilty of murder but of Attempted Robbery in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

Special Counsel to the District Attorney Mark Moody and Chief Assistant District Attorney Christopher Valdina then handed the trial to the District Attorney’s office.

“Today, Gage Ashley’s attempt to evade justice for this murder ended with the guilty verdict. Justice was served for the murder of Joshua Poole. We are grateful to the jurors for the time they took to carefully evaluate the evidence. I also commend the Auburn Police Department, the New York State Police, the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, and multiple other agencies for their excellent work on this case,” said District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci.

Ashley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23 at 9:30 a.m.

Powered by News Channel 9.