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Wilton man indicted for murder

4 mins read
Dana Craney (Franklin County Detention Center photo)
Dana Craney (Franklin County Detention Center photo)

FARMINGTON – A Wilton man accused of murdering his grandmother was indicted by a Franklin County Grand Jury Friday, as part of that panel’s two days of deliberation on 39 cases.

Dana Craney, 22, is accused of bludgeoning to death Joanne Goudreau, 67, with a hammer while she slept on Dec. 20. Her body was found by police partially concealed under wood and trash bags in back of the mobile home they shared at 1130 Weld Road, after Goudreau had been reported missing by her daughter Katherine Lord. Craney was arrested later that day and has remained in custody since.

The grand jury indicted Craney on a single count of “intentional or knowing murder.” A grand jury indictment means that after considering the evidence a district attorney or assistant attorney general has presented, the panel believes there is probable cause, or a “reasonable belief” that the crime occurred. A grand jury of up to 23 people need not be unanimous and does not need to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, unlike a regular trial jury.

According to the police affidavit, Lord told investigators that she called her mother and son at 3:32 p.m. Saturday afternoon and spoke with Craney. He reportedly told her that he had gotten in an argument with Goudreau and that she had left the home and on her way out, yelled “everything is yours.” Nearly 30 minutes later Lord called again and this time Craney reportedly told her Goudreau had struck him in the face during the fight.

Lord called police to report her mother missing a little after 4 p.m. Franklin County Sheriff’s Department responded with two K-9 teams. Lt. David Rackliffe said he located a set of tracks leading away from the mobile home and he followed them to a small depression in the backyard and discovered a body under a piece of plywood and bags of trash.

Craney was taken into custody by Wilton Sgt. Chad Abbott. During an interview with State Police Detective Randall Keaten, Craney allegedly said that he and his grandmother had a “verbal altercation” over leaving a pot on the stove, and that she had stuck him in the face and then she left the home. Craney reportedly said the blood on his coat sleeves may be his grandmother’s.

Later in the interview, Craney reportedly admitted to investigators he had “bludgeoned his grandmother in the head six or seven times while she slept in her bed.” According to the affidavit, Craney said his grandmother had been physically and sexually assaulting him “his entire life” and that “he had enough of the abuse and needed to end it.”

Keaten said, “Craney admitted after beating her with a hammer, he dragged her body out behind the trailer and hid her in a depression placing a piece of plywood on top of her and some bags of trash.”

The state’s Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on Goudreau and determined the cause of her death was skull fracture due to blunt force trauma of the head and ruled the death a homicide.

On Dec. 22, a judge ordered Craney held without bail. Craney was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

The next scheduled proceeding in the case is Craney’s arraignment. That hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 30.

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