NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 5, 2019 •
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Murder, manslaughter charges filed against town of Clarksville youth accused of killing his parents OLEAN TIMES HERALD 716-372-3121 • BRADFORD PUBLISHING COMPANY
By BOB CLARK BELMONT — A town of Clarksville teenager is facing life in prison following the alleged murder of his parents. On Nov. 22, New York State Police said they charged William J. Larson Jr., 17, of Courtney Hollow Road, with two counts of second-degree murder, a class A-1 felony, and two counts of first-degree manslaughter, a class B felony, for the killing of William Larson Sr., 67, and Lisa Larson, 49. State police allege that the younger Larson shot and killed his parents with a rifle on Nov. 5. The bodies were discovered early on Nov. 21 after a fire was reported in the family’s home on Courtney Hollow Road. Larson was arraigned and transported to the Erie County Youth Services Center, as he is under age 18 and cannot be housed in the Allegany County Jail under the state’s Raise the Age law. Bail was set at $50,000 or $100,000 bond. While his name was originally withheld from the regular state police blotter as it is policy to not list juveniles’ names through the system, troopers released Larson’s name repeatedly Thursday and Friday in press releases. It is believed he will be tried as an adult, as violent felonies that cause physical harm are exempt from the Raise the Age changes. West Clarksville volunteer firefighters were called to the Larson home at around 11:40 p.m. Nov. 20 for a structure fire at the address. Upon arrival, firefighters were greeted by someone identified as the younger Larson, who
William J. Larson Jr.
Photo by Bob Clark A New York State Police Special Operations Response Team prepares to move in the town of Clarksville Thursday afternoon during the search for William J. Larson Jr.
indicated there were two people trapped inside. West Clarksville and Portville firefighters entered the building to rescue the individuals and fight the blaze, which was confined to one room of the residence. Two deceased victims were removed from the property, but reports at the time indicated the cause of death was not believed to have been a result of the fire. Firefighters remained on the scene until around 5 a.m. Following the discovery of the bodies and contact with law enforcement by firefighters, Larson fled into the woods on foot. A manhunt, lasting until nightfall Thursday, Nov. 21, involved dozens of state troopers, tactical teams, Environmental Conservation
Officers and Forest Rangers. Various techniques were used in the search, including K-9 units, a helicopter with infrared imaging equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles. Larson was picked up just before 5 p.m. by a trooper on patrol, and he was charged at 8:22 p.m. Nov. 21. In the aftermath of the fire and manhunt, a neighbor told WGRZ that the younger Larson has dropped out of school and had been exhibiting odd behavior in the days leading up to the fire at the home. “He dropped out of school. He started staying up all night. He started sleeping in their vehicles instead of in the house,” neighbor Bruce Hitchcock said. The case rattled the town, with residents on edge and
curious about the manhunt. Debbie Walsh, owner of Debbie’s Little Deli in West Clarksville, said there was nothing else on the lips of customers and staff all day Nov. 21 while Larson was still being sought. “It’s a hubbub — everybody’s talking about it,” she said. Fear was a major factor, she added. “Is everyone around here thinking twice about locking your doors? Sure,” she said. But the bigger discussion is that of the “lookie-loos.” “Everybody’s supposed to stay home, but the curiosity gets to them,” she said, adding the restaurant was packed for lunch. “We had everybody and their brother in here.” “I didn’t know the family, but everybody knows
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everybody around here,” she added. “Everybody knows everybody else’s business.” That such an incident occurred, while not impossible, seems hard to understand, she added. “To bring someone to that point at 17 — that’s still a child to me. I have a 17-yearold grandchild — I can’t imagine going through that,” she said. “I’m not saying that excuses anything,” she added, but she wished at the time for Larson to be brought in alive and safe. The incident was the second involving suspicious deaths in the community in less than two years. On Jan. 31, 2017, troopers investigated the shooting death of Royce Chapman at his home on County Route 40. Two individuals — the victim’s ex-girlfriend and her son — were originally charged with murder in the case. Richard D. Mosher III pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter, while Lana M. Joseph, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served on a felony tampering with physical evidence charge. Family members accused the district attorney’s office and troopers of poor work, leading
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