NORWICH – More than ten years after he was first accused of smothering his wife, Patricia, at their Oxford home, Peter Wlasiuk has once again been found guilty of second degree murder, his third conviction for the crime.

Wlasiuk was originally charged in April of 2002 with the class A-1 felony, which could carry a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison. He was first convicted in 2003, a conviction that was overturned on appeal in 2006 due to errors regarding the admittance of prejudicial evidence. A second conviction, in 2008, would also be successfully appealed, dismissed on the grounds that Wlasiuk “received ineffective counsel” from his attorney at that time, Randel Scharf, according to a New York State Supreme Court memorandum.

The jury – following four weeks of testimony – returned with the guilty verdict at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday after two and a half days and more than ten hours of deliberations. There were visible signs of relief from the family of Patricia Wlasiuk, who were on hand throughout the trial. Outside the courtroom, on the steps of the Chenango County Courthouse, Patricia’s mother, Joyce Cardozo, thanked Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride for his efforts.