Seven Suspects Related to North Adams Stabbing Arraigned

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The last of eight suspects connected to a stabbing death in Wheel Estates Mobile Home Park in North Adams last August was arraigned in Berkshire Superior Court on Monday, Jan. 5.

The three-month investigation into the death of 24-year-old Daniel J. Walters lead to the arrest of eight people on various charges and broke up an alleged drug trafficking circle.

Wayne A. Senecal Jr., 22, of Protection Avenue, North Adams, had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf on Monday on a charge of furnishing the police with misleading information.

Michelle L. "Shelly" Nichlen, 28, of Ashland Street, North Adams, had a not-guilty plea entered on the same charge on Dec. 30.

Police say Senecal and Nichlen helped the lead suspect, Ronnell Garmie, flee the scene of the stabbing on Aug. 20, 2008, and then misled investigators.

Garmie, 19, was arrested the day after Walters' slaying at his mother's Bronx, N.Y., home.

Garmie was indicted by a Berkshire County grand jury on drug charges on Dec. 16. The jury declined indict him on a murder charge, finding Garmie had acted in self-defense in stabbing Waters. A police investigation had found Waters had entered the mobile home where Garmie was staying to steal drugs from him.

According to local media reports, the two men struggled and Walters slashed Garmie with a box cutter before being impaled on a steak knife in Garmie's hand. Walters body was found on neighbor's lawn.

Garmie is being held on $100,000 bail at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the drug charges.

Both Senecal and Nichlen were released on personal recognizance by Judge John J. Agostini.


The five other defendants were arraigned last week on a variety of charges.

Tina M. Senecal, 52, owner of the mobile home on Navajo Drive where the stabbing took place, was arraigned on Dec. 29, 2008, for allowing Garmie to stay at her home and use it as a base for his alleged drug dealing. She also aided him in trafficking, say police, between Aug. 1 and Aug. 20, 2008.

She had not-quilty pleas entered on her behalf for single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws and furnishing misleading information to police.
 
Walters' mother and girlfriend were arraigned the same day as Tina Senecal on charges of larceny and giving the police false information.

Monique M. Rock, 24, of Union Street, North Adams, and Constance Pratt, 44, of White Oaks Road, Williamstown, also known as Constance Winnie, were alleged to have gone with Walters to Senecal's trailer.

Two others, Kathleen Lear, 46, of Ashland Street and Brenda L. Blasi, 40, of Liberty Street, North Adams, were arraigned on Dec. 30 and Dec. 29, respectively, on single charges of consipiracy to violate drug laws, distribution of cocaine.

Police say the two women helped procure customers and packaged the drugs.

All five were released on personal recognizance.
    
The investigation was conducted by state police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office who were aided by members of the North Adams Police Department.
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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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