Syracuse man accused of killing son, girlfriend charged with highest degree of murder
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The man accused of murdering his son and girlfriend has also been charged with the attempted murder of his stepfather, based on the findings of an Onondaga County Grand Jury.
The five-count indictment against 43-year-old David Huff was unsealed Tuesday morning, May 27, in Onondaga County Court.
Huff is accused of shooting his 11-year-old son, Jeremiah Huff, and 32-year-old girlfriend, Yeraldith Tschudy, at his stepfather’s house in Syracuse back in March.
Huff is charged with three counts of murder: one count of second-degree murder for each victim, but also a single count of first-degree murder because he killed two people in the course of one crime.
He’s also charged with the attempted murder of Charles O’Donnell, his stepfather, and criminal possession of a weapon, a shotgun used in the shootings.
Onondaga County Criminal Court Judge Theodore Limpert permitted NewsChannel 9 to record the proceedings, the first time the public will see the suspect in court.
All along, both the defense attorney and prosecution have suggested the need for mental health evaluations to support Huff’s defense.
Defense Attorney Shaun Chase spoke with NewsChannel 9 after the initial court appearances. He said the case may not be a debate over “what happened,” as in a double murder, but more so a case of “how or why” it happened.
Chase said: “The first day we’ve already got his body camera footage released to the media, and factual things released that certainly seem to paint him in a terrible light. Assuming everything (District Attorney) Mr. Fitzpatrick said is right, this may not be a case of what happened, but maybe a situation of how or why this tragedy occurred.”
Huff’s 11-year-old son, Jeremiah, was a sixth grader at Gillette Road Middle School in the North Syracuse Central School District.
At the time, Huff’s mom said, “Please don’t forget him.”
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