Newburgh Man Convicted Of Murder In Broomstick Impalement: DA

NEWBURGH, NY — On March 14, 2023, police responded to a call for assistance at a residence in Newburgh. As a result of that call, James Rich, 36, was charged with possessing cocaine, processed, and released. Rich returned home. Then he attacked a 76-year-old man who had called the police, killing him by impaling him in the head with a metal broomstick, according to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.

On Monday, Rich was convicted after a jury trial in Orange County Court of all charges against him, including the crimes of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a controlled substance, Hoovler said in an announcement.

Hoovler said Rich had become enraged after his live-in companion had him arrested for drug and other offenses, Mid Hudson News reported.

According to prosecutors, Rich was caught on surveillance video discarding bags of bloody clothing bearing the victim’s DNA that were believed to have been worn by Rich during the killing. Three days later, in the early morning hours of March 17, 2023, Rich was found by police hiding in a closet of a different apartment. The victim’s cell phone was recovered from the area where Rich was hiding.

Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department whose investigation led to the arrest of Rich. Hoovler also thanked the New York State Police who assisted in the investigation.

“The sheer brutality of this crime is staggering,” he said. “The case was challenging from investigation through trial and the hard-won conviction is a testament to the dedicated work of the police and prosecutors who saw that justice was done. I offer my condolences to the victim’s family and friends and I hope that this verdict will give them a sense of closure.”

Rich, who was remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail following the jury’s verdict, faces 25 years to life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 27.