SOUTH OTSELIC – The remote and relatively quiet town of South Otselic has been pulled into the spotlight as the scene of a horrific crime.

George Ford Jr., 42, of Piscataway, N.J., stands accused of second degree murder for allegedly causing the death of Shyanne A. Somers, 12, South Otselic, on July 8.

“Honestly it doesn’t surprise me. Anyone reading the news should be getting used to these sort of sick turns in our local affairs, and his story never made any sense,” said Mark Higner, a South Otselic resident.

“I’ve lived here for over 30 years, and it’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen happen so close to home. With everything else going on, it makes you wonder what’s going on,” said Vicky, another South Otselic resident who asked that her last name not be used.

Ford is only a seasonal resident of the town. He works for a construction company in New Jersey and owns properties in at least three different states. He was arrested in 1993 in the state of Arizona on drug-related charges.

“The defendant has some element of criminal history in his past and will be appearing in court Monday. We expect to ask that he be remanded without bail pending the resolution of this matter,” said District Attorney Joseph A. McBride.