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Police charge man with murder after he carried unresponsive woman into home

By ANDREW DONOVAN

Story Created: Nov 14, 2010 at 4:15 PM EDT

Story Updated: Nov 15, 2010 at 8:34 PM EDT

ONEONTA, N.Y. (WKTV) - An Otsego County man is facing a second-degree murder charge after he and another man were allegedly caught trying to carry an unresponsive woman into an apartment early Sunday morning, according to authorities.

26-year-old Sonya Ridge died from a head injury, according to police, but it is not clear if a weapon was used. The woman was found in the apartment partially naked, police say.

Ridge was reportedly drinking with 27-year-old William Sprague and 29-year-old Robert Riley, all of Oneonta. Police say Ridge and Sprague drove away just after 2:00 a.m., while Riley took a cab to his home on River Street about five minutes later.

Oneonta Police Chief Joseph Redmond said that at about 3:15 a.m., Sprague and Riley were seen by witnesses trying to carry Ridge into Riley’s apartment.

Redmond said the call was originally responded to as medical emergency and Sprague and Riley were interviewed at the police station soon afterward.

Efforts to revive Ridge began on the scene and continued at Fox Memorial Hospital in Oneonta, but the woman was pronounced dead a short time later.

“She had some injuries to her brain and bleeding on her brain,” Redmond said in an interview to the Oneonta Daily Star.

Riley was not charged and was released. He is cooperating with police, according to Redmond. Sprague, who is in custody, will be arraigned on a second-degree murder charge.

Sprague knew Ridge, possibly from high school, authorities said.
He said there was no indication there was a sexual assault.

Police are asking for the public's help and are asking to be contact at 607-432-1111. All calls will be kept confidential.

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