NORWICH— It was Fri., Dec. 27, 2013 at approximately 6:45 a.m. when the Chenango County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting a female had been assaulted and robbed outside her residence.

Now, almost one year later, William H. Danielson, 49, Norwich, is awaiting trial for allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend, Lucinda Knoll, in front of their seven-year-old son.

Danielson was indicted for two counts of murder in the second degree, a class A-1 violent felony; robbery in the first degree, a class B felony; assault in the first degree, a class B felony; and assault in the second degree, a class D felony.

It is alleged that on Dec. 27, 2013 at approximately 6:30 a.m., Danielson intentionally caused Knoll’s death by striking her in the head numerous times. It is also alleged Danielson forcibly stole property from Knoll.

Danielson pleaded not guilty.

Danielson appeared in Chenango County Court on Fri., Nov. 7 before Judge Frank B. Revoir, Jr. He had pre-trial hearings scheduled in preparation for his trial next year. Danielson is currently remanded at the Chenango County Correctional Facility.

Danielson's private lawyer, James A. Baker, made a motion to suppress statements made by the defendant since he claimed the statements were not adequate. Revoir moved for preclusion, not suppression, and reserved on his decision.

District Attorney Joseph A. McBride handed Baker a thick stack of papers and a CD recording and said he was ready to proceed with the Mapp hearing, which is a pretrial hearing held to determine whether or not to suppress a piece of evidence that is going to be presented at trial.

McBride called Lieutenant Richard Cobb as a witness. Before Cobb could make it to the stand, he was stopped when Baker interrupted and addressed Revoir.

“Judge, he just handed me a stack of papers here. It's what? 1,000 pages? I need sufficient time to go through them before he calls a witness,” said Baker.

“Judge, we don't say things we don't know. We only say things we do know. The only additional evidence there is an audio recording for the application for the search warrant. The rest is 720 pages of medical records of the victim,” said McBride.

Baker said he wanted time to review the recording before Cobb's testimony to prepare questions for a cross examination. McBride said he only needed five minutes to listen to it.

Revoir called a 15 minute recess for Baker to listen to the recording.

“I would like to make application that the hearing not take place in public. I am concerned there will be prejudice against my client and it will affect his right to a fair trial,” said Baker.

“Judge, we can handle those issues without the details being made public,” said McBride. “Without saying what the text said, there was a text from the defendant to the victim on August of 2013. I think the text is very relevant to the defendant’s intent,” said McBride.

McBride said there was an ongoing dispute between Danielson and Knoll. He also said Danielson was “very mad and upset, because he felt family court had failed him [regarding his son].”

“I am denying your application, Mr. Baker, to have the hearing in private. I am denying it again,” said Revoir.

Baker said he did not object to family court proceedings being used as evidence, as long as there were no specific allegations.

McBride said there would be no specific allegations, he just wanted to use the evidence to show there was motive because of the “contentious relationship between the defendant and victim.”

Cobb was then sworn in to give his testimony. He has been with the Chenango County Sheriff's Office for 16 and a half years, and he is the road patrol supervisor and detective supervisor.

Cobb said he received a phone call at approximately 7 a.m. on Dec. 27, 2013. He responded to 110 Bourbon St. in the Town of Norwich.

“Lucinda was laying in the snow on the ground next to her car. There was blood at the scene. There were footprints found leading from the residence to County Rd. 32. There were spots of blood in the footprints,” said Cobb.

Cobb said the footprints led to an auto garage and that there were tire tracks in the area, leaving the auto garage. Approximately one mile down the road at the intersection of Preston Center Rd. and County Rd. 4, there was a one-car property accident. A pick-up truck had struck a utility poll, and there was no one at the scene.

“Chief Angelino of the Norwich City Police Department said Lucinda had recently had domestic issues with Mr. Danielson, her ex-boyfriend. There had been an order of protection issued, but it had expired. The plates on the pick-up from the accident were registered to him,” said Cobb.

According to Cobb, the pick-up truck from the accident had a lot of damage and was left inoperable. Two New York State troopers followed footprints from the accident to Danielson's residence on County Rd. 4. They said they saw Danielson putting something in his wood stove before walking back into his house.