Jason D’Avolio, 47, faces the felony charge of concealment of a corpse after he allegedly admitted to disposing of the body of his estranged wife after her remains were found in a landfill dumpster
A man was arrested and faces charges after claiming that his wife committed suicide and he disposed of her body and a gun after her remains were found in a landfill dumpster.
Jason D’Avolio, 47, of Rome, New York, was charged with concealment of a corpse after the body of his estranged wife and mother of his three young children, Kerrilee D’Avolio, 32, was found in Oneida County Landfill, in Ava, New York, the morning of July 30.
Jason is said to have told investigators that he didn’t kill Kerrilee, she killed herself, and that he just disposed of her body by putting it in a dumpster.
Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara called Jason’s version of events ‘very suspect.’
‘It’s almost unheard of for anyone to dispose of the body of a loved one by throwing them in a dumpster, and then cleaning up the house, and then disposing of the suicide weapon,’ McNamara told CNYCentral.
Kerrilee was last said to have been seen the evening of July 27, but it wasn’t until the morning of July 29 that police were notified about her possible homicide.
Police said that Jason’s brother called 911 at about 11am, after Jason arrived at his auto shop with the D’Avolio’s three children, ages two, four and five, in tow. According to police, the brother said that Jason told him about what happened, leading to Jason’s arrest, the Rome Sentinel reported.
Jason is said to have told police that his wife, Kerrilee D’Avolio, 32 (pictured), committed suicide at their home and that he cleaned up the scene and removed her body
Authorities were alerted to Kerrilee’s death by Jason’s brother who called 911 after Jason (in orange) allegedly went to his auto shop with his children and told him what happened
Authorities suspect that Kerrilee was shot with a rifle on the second floor of her home either late in the night on July 28 or early in the morning on July 29.
When questioned, police said Jason admitted that he wrapped Kerrilee’s body in a bed sheet, then placed her body in a dumpster. He was also said to have told police that he threw the gun involved in her death into a canal.
Police found the dumpster containing Kerrilee’s body at the county landfill and a rifle in Rome’s Barge Canal the morning of July 30.
Authorities said the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s office would have Kerrilee’s preliminary autopsy report on Monday, according to WSYR.
McNamara said that the autopsy could reveal whether it was possible for Kerrilee to use the rifle to kill herself or if someone else used it to kill her, as well as whether there were single or multiple gunshot wounds.
Police said that Jason (in orange) admitted to wrapping Kerrilee’s body in a sheet and putting it in a dumpster, as well as throwing the rifle connected with her death into a canal
Authorities believe that the couple’s three kids were in the home (pictured) when Kerrilee died
Authorities found the dumpster that Jason claimed to have put Kerrilee’s body into at a local landfill (pictured) on July 30. Jason was then charged with concealment of a corpse
Authorities found the rifle that is believed to have been used in Kerrilee’s death in this canal
Jason and Kerrilee were said to be in the early stages of divorcing and police are ‘still searching’ to find out if there was a history of domestic violence between them.
Neighbors told the Rome Sentinel they observed Kerrilee going in and out of the home and not spending the night there, but that they didn’t see or hear anything that would’ve caused concern.
McNamara said that it’s likely the couple’s three children were at home at the time of the shooting, but it’s unclear so far if they witnessed it, WKTV reported.
The couple’s three children are said to be in Kerilee’s sister’s custody now.
Jason was charged with the felony of concealment of a corpse on July 30 and given bail of $10,000 cash or a $20,000 bond. The judge also issued an order of protection for the three children, meaning Jason must stay away from them.
Police said they are expecting to add additional charges pending the autopsy results.