Copyright syracuse.com
Syracuse, N.Y. ― A man accused of killing his girlfriend and son in Syracuse was offered a plea Monday that would give him a chance of parole. David Huff, 43, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Yeraldith Tschudy, 32, and his son, Jeremiah Huff, 11, inside his stepfather’s home at 128 Roney Road on a night in March. He faces a first-degree murder charge for the double homicide. If convicted after trial, he faces the possibility of life in prison without the possibility of parole. On Monday, prosecutor Rob Moran offered Huff the chance to plead guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in exchange for 40 years to life in prison. Huff’s attorney, Shaun Chase, said that his client has already accepted responsibility for the crime. Chase said everyone involved in the case is considering the impact of the mental health episode he was suffering from at the time of the murders. In addition to the murders, Huff is charged with the attempted murder of his stepfather, Charles O’Donnell. Huff tried to shoot O’Donnell but his gun malfunctioned, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick has said. Huff opened fire inside O’Donnell’s home, at 128 Roney Road, around 9:30 p.m. on March 17. Huff used a Remington 870 Express 12-gauge shotgun to shoot his girlfriend and son multiple times, according to a criminal complaint. The boy’s mother was the first to call 911 after receiving a distressed call from her son shortly before he died. Huff fled the home before police arrived. Police searched for Huff overnight into the next morning. He was arrested by State Police around 9:30 a.m. on West Seneca Turnpike near the scene. Huff will return to court on Nov. 13.
