Share

Defendants in Word of Life Church charged with murder, have bail revoked

All charges stem from the October events in Chadwicks, where Word of Life Church members gang beat 17-year-old Christopher Leonard and 19-year-old Lucas Leonard.

Advertisement

The other people accused of second-degree murder, kidnap and gang assault include the victim’s father Bruce Leonard, 65.

Tiffanie and Traci were not originally charged in the incident.

Christopher said he attempted to resuscitate his brother before the boys were loaded into two separate vans.

Daniel Irwin, 24, was charged with murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, assault, gang assault charges.

Most of those indicted in the case remain in jail on bail of tens of thousands of dollars each, while David and Linda Morey have been released on bail of $50,000 each, according to jail records. The others were expected in court on Wednesday.

Police charged six individuals, including both of the victims’ parents, however her mother and the pastor were not included in this. Her attorney, Devin Garramone, said she would be arraigned next week on charges of first-degree assault in the death of Lucas Leonard and second-degree assault for the attack on Christopher Leonard.

Defendant Sarah Ferguson pleaded not guilty to 13 felonies, including two murder charges. The attorney said there will be no bail.

McNamara said he could not comment further on the case because of a gag order issued by the judge.

Garramone has said the mother felt helpless to stop an “intervention” that she didn’t expect to become so harsh and he didn’t believe she caused the fatal injuries.

Christopher Leonard, during a preliminary hearing last month, testified that he and his brother were beaten with an electric extension cord fashioned into a whip.

Deborah Leonard was not named in the grand jury indictment, but she is scheduled to appear in court on 2 December to face separate charges of first and second-degree assault, her lawyer said.

Authorities say that the alleged “spiritual counseling” session that took place in the evening of October 12 reportedly revolved around the teens’ desire to leave the secretive church.

Advertisement

Eight church members were indicted Tuesday, including Word of Life Church pastor Tiffanie Irwin.

Bruce Leonard enters the court room to stand in front of Honorable Judge Bill M. Virkler for a manslaughter charge against him in the death of his 19-year-old son Lucas Leonard in New Hartford New York