Wife guilty in death of farmer found shot, buried in manure
WARSAW, N.Y. -- The wife of a New York farmer whose body was found buried in manure has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Charlene Mess of Attica faces up to 25 years in prison after entering the plea in Wyoming County Court on Thursday.
District Attorney Donald O'Geen says the Mess family supports the lengthy prison sentence for the death of 52-year-old Douglas Mess last year.
Authorities say Charlene Mess hit her husband of 30 years with a pitchfork and shot him in the head with a .22-caliber rifle before burying his body in a manure pile on the family dairy farm.
One of his sons reported him missing, setting off a seven-hour search.
Charlene Mess is scheduled to be sentenced June 23.