SKOWHEGAN — A Skowhegan woman is facing charges as a conspirator and accomplice to murder in New Hampshire in the March death of her brother’s ex-wife.
Michele D. Corson, 43, was arrested at her home on Water Street Wednesday night on a fugitive-from-justice warrant in connection with the case, according to a release from the New Hampshire Office of the Attorney General.
Additional Photos
New Hampshire state police served Corson with arrest warrants charging her with conspiracy to commit murder and being an accomplice to first degree murder in the death of Amanda “Amy” Warf, 36.
Warf is the former wife of Corson’s brother, Aaron Desjardins, 36, of Epping, N.H., and he is charged with Warf’s murder.
Warf’s body was discovered the morning of March 7 by firefighters extinguishing a small fire in Exeter, N.H., according to New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan Morrell.
“It’s alleged that he killed her by slicing her throat, severing the carotid artery,” Morrell said by phone Thursday. “Amy Warf’s body was found in an abandoned cement factory in Exeter, N.H., during the process of extinguishing a fire.”
Authorities said she was killed at the plant.
Aaron Desjardins has denied that he killed Warf. In an interview with the New Hampshire Union Leader two days before his arrest last month, Desjardins said he was at home with his wife, his sister, and his young son when the fire was reported and the body was found. Warf is the mother of the young boy.
At the time of the homicide, Warf was living in Hampton, N.H., with her boyfriend, according to the report.
Morrell said detectives are investigating the murder and the fire for possible links. They also are looking for a motive, she said. She would not discuss the charges against Corson or what investigators believe was her role in the homicide.
Michele Corson’s son and daughter said Thursday the charges against their mother don’t add up.
“I’m not sure what they have it based on; there’s something that doesn’t quite make sense,” her son, Bryant Corson, 22, said. “They’re leaving something out.”
Bryant Corson said his mother had been in New Hampshire earlier this year helping to care for her brother’s 15-month-old son.
“If she was home with the kid, how could she be any way involved with it,” he said.
Michele Corson is the manager of Dragonfly Fashions & Decor, a consignment store, which opened in January on Madison Avenue in Skowhegan. Her son, Bryant Corson, and daughter, Cassandra Corson, 18, of Norridgewock, also work there.
Cassandra Corson described her mother as “just happy-go-lucky.”
Corson is to be arraigned in court today in Skowhegan on the fugitive-from-justice charge. If she waives extradition to face charges in New Hampshire, authorities in that state have 22 days to take her.
The affidavit in support of the criminal charges in New Hampshire has been sealed, Morrell said.
Sarah Desjardins also was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder and one count of conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension or prosecution. The two Desjardins are being held at the Rockingham County House of Corrections in Brentwood, N.H. Sarah Desjardins will be moved to a women’s holding facility at a later date, Morrell said.
Corson is being held without bail at the Somerset County Jail in East Madison pending her arraignment today and possible extradition.
Morrell said Corson’s charge of being an accomplice to first degree murder is the same level of crime as is a felony murder charge in New Hampshire. It is punishable by life in prison without parole.
The conspiracy charge is also a felony, punishable in New Hampshire by 15-30 years in prison, Morrell said.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.