Headlines: Guilty plea in murder case, excessive force charge dismissed, man still missing

Here are some stories making headlines across the Hudson Valley.

News 12 Staff

Apr 4, 2023, 10:19 AM

Updated 614 days ago

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Here are some stories making headlines across the Hudson Valley.
A Bronx woman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection to the 2012 fatal shooting of her girlfriend, according to the Westchester District Attorney's Office. Authorities say Wanda Veguilla, 42, shot her girlfriend, Pamela Graddick, in their shared apartment and dumped her body in Yonkers. Veguilla is expected to be sentenced to 18 years to life in June.
A federal magistrate has dismissed claims by a New Rochelle man who said Mount Vernon police used excessive force when they arrested him in 2017. Retired federal probation officer Ronald Ketcham said it started when two plainclothes police officers stopped him and mistook him for another person they were looking for who had outstanding warrants. A three-day non-jury trial was held in November 2021. In a 26-page ruling signed on Friday, the magistrate said Ketcham failed to prove that the defendants are liable on any of the claims he asserted.
Ketcham's attorney said they were disappointed by the ruling but considering their options. News 12 reached out to the City of Mount Vernon for comment.
The search continues for a Sullivan County man who has been missing since last week. Harold Hoyt was last seen on March 30 in the woods off of Galligan Road in Forestburgh. He's described as 6 feet 3 inches wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a red jacket over it. If you have any information, contact police at (845) 866-0442.