New York state’s highest court has upheld the conviction of Joseph A. Meyers for the arson homicide of 60-year-old David N. O’Dell on Feb. 15, 2016 in Wayland.
Meyers is serving 23 years to life after being convicted in May 2017 by a Steuben County Court jury of killing his long-time friend, then burning down O’Dell’s New Galen Road house in a criminal conspiracy with his wife, Iryn Meyers.
Prosecutors said the couple murdered O’Dell to collect insurance proceeds.
A Steuben County jury convicted Iryn Meyers of second-degree murder on Aug. 22, 2017. She is serving a 23 years to life sentence as well.
Joseph Meyers has repeatedly denied involvement in O’Dell’s death.
In 2021, Meyers appealed convictions for first- and second-degree murder, two counts of arson, falsifying business records, attempted insurance fraud and conspiracy but he faced an unexpected challenge: an incomplete trial transcript.
Meyers’ attorney asked the State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department, to order a new trial for the former Loon Lake resident and businessman.
State Supreme Court justices acknowledged the trial transcript was missing three days of jury selection, opening statements, summations, final jury instructions, the court’s handling of a jury note, and the verdict.
Reconstruction hearing, appeals in Wayland murder case
The Fourth Department Appellate Division ordered the case to be returned to Steuben County Court to reconstruct the missing portions of the transcript, reserving a decision on ordering a new trial.
In early 2022, a four-day reconstruction hearing was held surrounding the missing portions of the transcript.
Following a supplemental briefing, the 4th Department Appellate Division upheld Meyers’ conviction with one justice dissenting and granting Meyers leave to appeal to the New York State Court of Appeals.
In a unanimous ruling May 26, the New York State Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s decision to deny Joseph Meyers a new trial, with Chief Justice Rowan Wilson writing that the Appellate Division properly ordered a reconstruction hearing rather than summarily reversing the conviction and granting a new trial.
The Court of Appeals said Meyers failed to meet his burden showing the reconstruction hearing would be futile and further failed to rebut the presumption of regularity by identifying any specific appealable issue that could not be adequately reviewed on the reconstructed record.
During the appeal process, a conflict disqualified the Steuben County District Attorney’s Office. The Livingston County District Attorney’s Office was assigned to handle the pending appeal.
First Assistant District Attorney Victor Rowcliffe represented the people in the reconstruction hearing and subsequent appeals.
2017 trial featured over 30 witnesses, 120 exhibits
During the 2017 trial, prosecutors argued that Joseph and Iryn Meyers sought to collect some $140,000 in insurance payouts.
Prosecutors called 34 witnesses and offered more than 120 exhibits during the two and half week trial.
Cell phone records and video footage disclosed at trial showed Joseph and Iryn Meyers making multiple trips to the New Galen Road residence and removing belongings from the house in the hours before the fire broke out.
A state investigator testified that the fire was set in the basement of the New Galen Road house, and that Joseph Meyers used an accelerant to start the blaze.
Joseph Meyers’ own security camera footage showed the couple returning from the scene of the fire and entering their residence with a torch.
O’Dell’s body was found by firefighters inside the rubble of his residence.
Joseph Meyers, who was 45 at the time of his arrest, did not testify at his trial. Before sentencing he called O’Dell a “close friend for 33 years” who he said he loved “like a brother.”
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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Joseph Meyers Wayland murder conviction upheld by NYS Court of Appeals
Reporting by Neal Simon, Hornell Evening Tribune / The Evening Tribune
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