OTSELIC – Today at 3 p.m., accused murderer George Ford Jr. will have his verdict handed to him by Broome County Court Judge Joseph F. Cawley. The tragedy which left 12-year-old Shyanne Somers of Otselic dead has generated controversy which has been even more potent for the small communities in the region of the victim’s hometown.
The Evening Sun contacted area residents who live in those communities to see what they had to say about the unfolding murder trial.
Alan Huntley, 65, of South Otselic, lives on Will Warner Road, the scene of the alleged murder. Huntley said he had not been following the case in the media and didn’t know many details of the incident.
“It just seemed kind of funny to me, a grown man with a girl that age at that hour. A grown man shouldn’t be with a girl like that at that hour unless he’s her father,” he said.
Although Huntley lives only a couple miles from where Somers died, he said the incident hasn’t affected his view of the community or made him feel unsafe.
“No, not at all, this is a good place to live and he’s (Ford) an outsider who hasn’t been here that long. This community is a good community, and I’m glad to live here,” he said.
Chris Lavancha, 48, of Preston, said he’s been reading newspaper accounts of the unfolding trial on a regular basis. “I think he’s guiltier than sin,” said Lavancha, who added that the graphic circumstances surrounding the crime were “hard to put into words.”
Lavancha said he sympathized with the Somers family. “I imagine they feel just like I do, they want him gone.”
Shyanne’s ex-cheerleading coach, Sadie Allen, 39, of South Otselic, said, “He (Ford) took her from her home and did not return her. I feel there should be an immediate verdict. I understand there is a process to be followed, but I truly feel it should be just a very simple, ‘he’s guilty.’ I just don’t understand what anyone could be pondering.”
Allen said the unusual high-profile crime in such a small area has caused a number of discussions among its residents.
“All of us are very connected and it’s so sad it just happened. Many of us just can’t wait for this to be over,” she said.
Despite the loss from event, Allen hopes the community and parents might learn from the incident.
“I don’t know, I just truly wanted people to recognize that there is a chance for something to happen,” she said. “We must remember even in a small community things like this can happen. We, adults, need to be responsible for our youth. Parents need to be aware of their children’s whereabouts and know exactly who it is they’re with and where. Hopefully nothing like this will ever happen again,” she added.
Tina Cruikshank, 38, of North Pitcher, works at the Otselic Valley Elementary School as an aide and was familiar with Somers. “I’d see her on and off throughout the day,” she said.
Cruikshank said she has kept a close eye on the case daily through newspapers, television and the Internet.
