Anthony Papile gets 50 years in death of Krista Dittmeyer, Second Man, Trevor Ferguson gets seven years for conspiracy to commit robbery, Third Michael Petelis gets 35 to life

(we had a thread of over one page on Krista and I cannot find it!)

CONWAY — The Attorney General's office said on Monday it expects to formally charge the three men arrested in connection with the murder of Krista Dittmeyer by mid-June.
Anthony Papile, 29, Michael Petelis, 29, and Trevor Ferguson, 24, have all been in custody since they were arrested last May in connection with the murder of 20-year-old Dittmeyer, but they have yet to be indicted.
Dittmeyer's body was found a year ago in a pond at the base of the Cranmore ski area several days after her car and her 14-month-old daughter had been abandoned a short distance away. The story garnered national media coverage.
Papile was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, while Petelis and Ferguson were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit robbery. Those charges are felony-level, however, and they did not come from a grand jury, so before they men can be tried in superior court the cases have to go before a grand jury.
In most cases there is a requirement that such formal charges come within 90 days of arrest, but the prosecution did not adhere to that timeline in the Dittmeyer case. It has been more than 11 months since the three men were arrested in connection with her murder.
"We are cognizant of that rule," Young said, but "the 90 days is not hard and fast."
Police have continued to investigate the case "as recently as two weeks ago," she said. "This is a priority case."
Papile's attorney, meanwhile, did not raise issue with the delays.
"I have no comment," said Jesse Friedman, a public defender. "That's all I'm going to say on this one."
Papile, like Ferguson and Petelis, is still in custody. Papile was sent to jail without bail, while Ferguson and Petelis have been unable to post the $250,000 bail set by the judge last May.
And while Papile has yet to face formal charges in this case, the grand jury did indict him on unrelated felonious sexual assault charges last August. According to the complaint Papile allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old in December of 2010.
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CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire attorney general says one of three defendants in the disappearance and death of a Maine mother last year will plead guilty.

Attorney General Michael Delaney says Anthony Papile (Pah-PEEL) will enter a plea and be sentenced Thursday.

Attorney General Michael Delaney says Anthony Papile (Pah-PEEL) will enter a plea and be sentenced Thursday.

Papile is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Krista Dittmeyer of Portland, Maine.

Dittmeyer's car was found idling in the parking lot of a North Conway ski area in April 2011 with her 14-month-old baby unharmed inside. Dittmeyer's body was found nearby four days later.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young would not say what charge Papile would plead to.

Prosecutors say Dittmeyer was lured to a friend's apartment and clubbed by two men who plotted to steal drugs and money from her.
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11:11 AM, May 24, 2012

Written by
Ken Christian
FILED UNDER
WCSH 6 News
WLBZ 2 News
OSSIPEE, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the disappearance and death of a Maine mother last year.

Anthony Papile pleaded guilty Thursday in the death of 20-year-old Krista Dittmeyer of Portland, Maine, who was found in the Cranmore Mountain ski area's snowmaking pond in New Hampshire. The cause of death was prolonged cold water submersion.

Dittmeyer's car was found idling in the parking lot of the ski area with her 14-month-old baby unharmed inside. Dittmeyer's body was found nearby four days later.

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By Daymond Steer
The Conway Daily Sun

OSSIPEE — Saying he didn't deserve forgiveness, a sniffling Anthony Papile pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday and was sentenced to 42 ½ years to life in prison for killing Krista Dittmeyer last April.

Reporters and family members from both sides packed the Carroll County Superior Court on Thursday to hear judge Steven Houran impose the sentence on the 29-year-old Ossipee man. According to the deal, Papile would have been given 50 years behind bars but he gets 7½ years off his prison time if he completes counseling, an associates degree and a bachelor's degree. Papile was also given 380 days pretrial-confinement credit.

Dittmeyer was a 20-year-old Portland mother. She was originally from Bridgton who had ties to the Conway area.

Papile spoke briefly before being remanded into state custody for at least the next four decades. Papile said he was truly sorry for killing Dittmeyer. Sometimes he'd sniffle as he spoke.

"I stand here today a broken hearted and saddened man," said Papile whose voice trembled with emotion. "My actions have left a family without a daughter, a sister and a mother. The pain of knowing what I have done, changed so many people's lives, (the most troubling is her daughter, Aliyah) not ever knowing her mother. I'm going to live with the pain and the shame of being a monster in their lives. I hope that someday, the nightmares will stop for this family because I know they will never stop for me. I'll never ask forgiveness because I'll never deserve it. My actions are atrocious and inexcusable. There's not a moment in my life I don't wish I could change what I've done."

Papile was arrested in May of 2011 along with Michael Petelis, then 29, and Trevor Ferguson, then 24. Petelis and Ferguson have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with Dittmeyer's murder. Their cases are pending.

Prosecutors and police believe the three were involved in a scheme to steal drugs and money from Dittmeyer.

Jane Young, senior assistant Attorney General, said Dittmeyer's family supports the plea deal for Papile.

Dittmeyer's mother, LaNell Shackley, she'll never again see her daughter smile, or hear her voice or laugh. Shackley said she'll never be able to give her daughter parenting instructions.

"Aliyah will go her whole life without knowing her mother," said Shackley of Dittmeyer's young daughter. "She won't remember her mother's hugs and kisses, her loving words and her soft touch."

Shackley says she's had a hard time sleeping since the murder and has moved out of her home to stay with a friend. Shackley says she's become "very angry, bitter and mistrusting of people."

Shackley says she doesn't know what to say when Aliyah asks, "Where's momma?" Shackley said Papile will still get three meals per day and a chance to interact with his family — two things that he took away from Dittmeyer.

Heidi Plourde, Dittmeyer's friend of 11 years, shared her memories and described the impact of the murder on her family.

"Aside from her outer beauty, she had such inner beauty as well," said Plourde. "She was giving, kind, affectionate and very quick witted. She was a huge champion of underdogs."

Plourde said her 13-year-old son is heartbroken by Dittmeyer's murder. She taught him to try new things and comforted him when he was scared.

"I despise you" said Plourde to Papile. "I can only hope that during your sentence in prison that you are treated with the same respect you showed our Krista."

Dittmeyer's body was found in a pond at the base of Cranmore ski area several days after her black Nissan Sentra and her then 14-month-old daughter were found abandoned in the parking lot of the Cranmore fitness area.

In her offer of proof to the judge, Young described Papile's actions on April 22, 2011. That night, Dittmeyer received a text message from Petelis' phone telling her to call him when she's "on the way" to his Ossipee residence because he had "company."

Dittmeyer called Petelis back at around 11 p.m. that night

"The investigation revealed that when Ms. Dittmeyer got to Petelis' residence, the defendant (Papile) was lying in wait for her," said Young. "As Ms. Dittmeyer ascended the stairs, the defendant struck her approximately three times over the head."

After beating her with a club, Papile put his hands over her mouth and told her to be quiet. Then Papile dragged her into a laundry room where he and allegedly Petelis bound her with duct tape and placed her in the trunk of her own car. The men agreed they needed to "take care of the problem," said Young.

According to Young, Papile decided to drive Dittmeyer to Cranmore and he pushed her into the snow-making pond he helped build when he was a Cranmore employee.
When he ditched the car, Papile left the car running and lights flashing because he wanted the baby to be unharmed. Young alleged that Petelis and Ferguson picked up Papile. Blood was found in her car. Cell phone records show that Papile's phone was in the Conway area about a half hour after midnight.

Dittmeyer's body was found on April 27. The tape around Dittmeyer's right wrist contained a fingerprint from Papile. Her upper torso, arms, hands and mouth were all bound with reddish duct tape. The autopsy revealed the cause of her death was "prolonged cold water submersion after having been bound with duct tape," said Young, adding Papile assumed she was already dead before he put her in the pond. Papile told authorities he couldn't feel a pulse. Papile knew how to take a pulse because he had received lifeguard training, said Young.

Public defender Jesse Friedman disputed Young's account of the cause of death but conceded it was a relatively minor point.

Papile told authorities that he, Ferguson and Petelis planned to rob Dittmeyer for drugs, said Young.

Friedman said the only thing Papile can do now is try to better himself while in prison.

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Associated Press / June 13, 2012

A second New Hampshire man has been sentenced in connection with the disappearance and death last year of a Maine woman whose toddler daughter was found abandoned in her car. Trevor Ferguson of Tamworth pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to rob Krista Dittmeyer, 20. He was sentenced to at least seven years in prison. Ferguson was accused of driving the getaway car after the crime in exchange for money and drugs that two other men hoped to steal from Dittmeyer. WMUR-TV reported that Ferguson apologized in court and that his grandmother spoke on his behalf. Dittmeyer, of Portland, Maine, was found in a snow-making pond at Cranmore Mountain in Conway last year. The discovery was made four days after her car was found idling in the ski area’s parking lot with her 14-month-old daughter left unharmed inside. Anthony Papile of Ossipee pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Still pending is the case of Michael Petelis, who is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.

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OSSIPEE, N.H. — A second New Hampshire man has been sentenced in connection with the disappearance and death last year of a Maine woman whose toddler daughter was found abandoned in her car.

Trevor Ferguson, of Tamworth, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to rob Krista Dittmeyer, 20. He was sentenced to at least seven years in prison.

He was accused of driving the getaway car after the crime in exchange for money and drugs that two other men hoped to steal from Dittmeyer.

WMUR-TV reported Ferguson apologized in court and that his grandmother spoke on his behalf.

Dittmeyer, of Portland, was found in a snowmaking pond at Cranmore Mountain in Conway last year. The discovery came four days after her car was found idling in the ski area's parking lot with her 14-month-old daughter unharmed inside.

Anthony Papile, of Ossipee, pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The case is still pending of another man charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, Michael Petelis.

Prosecutors said Dittmeyer was lured to Petelis's apartment in Ossipee. He clubbed her in the head three times as she was climbing the stairs. Prosecutors had said Papile and Petelis had plotted to steal drugs and money from her.

Prosecutors said Papile and Petelis bound Dittmeyer's legs and torso with duct tape and put her in the trunk of her car, which Papile drove to the ski area. Papile submerged her underwater.
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Trevor Ferguson is led in to Ossipee District Court in Ossipee, N.H., in this May 11, 2011, photo.

Ferguson pleads guilty for his role in Dittmeyer murder

Written by Erik Eisele
CONWAY — Trevor Ferguson, the 24-year-old Tamworth man arrested alongside convicted murderer Anthony Papile in connection with the murder of Krista Dittmeyer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and hindering apprehension or prosecution in Carroll County Superior Court on Tuesday.
Dittmeyer was killed in April of 2011. Prosecutors say Papile, Ferguson and a third man, 29-year-old Michael Petelis of Ossipee, were looking to rob the 20-year-old Dittmeyer, but Papile killed her in the process

Papile, 29, of Ossipee, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last month. He was sentenced to more than 40 years in prison.
Petelis, meanwhile, has yet to have his case heard. He faces a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery.
Ferguson, the youngest of the three, served as Papile's ride back to Ossipee from North Conway, where Papile dumped Dittmeyer's body and left her car with Dittmeyer's 14-month-old daughter inside. For his part, Ferguson could spend more than two decades in prison.
The state offered a plan, however, that gives Ferguson the opportunity to get out by age 30.
Ferguson was sentenced to seven to 15 years in jail for the conspiracy charge, and another three and a half to seven years for the hindering apprehension charge, but conditions on the hindering charge make it possible for Ferguson to avoid serving that sentence.
If Ferguson is well-behaved through his first sentence and completes an associates degree, the second sentence will be suspended for 10 years. That means it will be possible for Ferguson to be out in seven years.
Pair that with the 397 days he has already spent in jail and it becomes possible that he could be out by the time he is 30.
Judge Steven Houran, the presiding judge, made sure Ferguson understood that whether or not he served the second sentence was entirely up to him.
"Any questions whatsoever about either of those sentences?" Houran asked.
"No sir," Ferguson replied.
Ferguson gave a lot of "yes sir" and "no sir" answers over the course of the hearing on questions ranging from whether he was under the influence of any substances ("no sir") to whether he understood the charges he was facing ("I do, sir").
Ferguson was never formally charged by a grand jury, which meant he had to waive his constitutionally protected right to grand jury indictment for the proceedings to get going. Once they did, however, assistant Attorney General James Vara laid out the details of the crime.
Ferguson didn't know he was helping his friend commit murder, Vara said, until he was at the Cranmore Ski Area. When he arrived at Michael Petelis' residence in Ossipee he only knew he was helping his friends with a robbery.
"For his role," Vara said, "Mr. Papile promised the defendant gas money, additional money and marijuana." He got a tank of gas, $20, a small amount of marijuana and some cocaine.
Papile had already struck Dittmeyer in the head three times, and then he and Petelis allegedly bound her with red duct tape, according to Vara. Papile and Petelis "agreed they needed to take care of the problem," referring to Dittmeyer, who was at that point bound and gagged in the trunk of her car.
Ferguson arrived at Petelis' home at 11:30 p.m., Vara said, where he met Papile and Petelis. Papile drove Dittmeyer's car while Petelis rode with Ferguson. Ferguson followed Papile, but the vehicles got separated before they reached the Cranmore. When Ferguson and Petelis arrived they found Papile parked in the lot where Dittmeyer's car and child were found the next morning. Papile got into the vehicle with Ferguson and Petelis and asked Ferguson to drive over to the maintenance shed.
There Papile and Petelis got out, Vara said, leaving Ferguson in the vehicle. It was at this point that Ferguson overheard his friends talking and realized this was a murder, not just a robbery.
An autopsy determined Krista Dittmeyer died in the snowmaking pond, Vara said, not of the head wounds sustained earlier. She died of "prolonged cold water submersion," he said.
But Ferguson "only learned of this upon arrival at the Cranmore Mountain Resort," Vara said.
"He understands he made a terrible mistake," Ferguson's attorney John Clothier said, calling it "a terrible decision, obviously the worst decision he's ever made." In pleading guilty, Clothier said, Ferguson is taking responsibility for his actions.
Ferguson spoke briefly at near the end of the hearing.
"I want to apologize to the family," he said, his voice weak. "I'm going to regret those decisions for the rest of my life."
With that, judge Houran agreed with the sentence requested by the state and asked Ferguson how he wished to plea.
"Guilty," Ferguson replied twice, once to each charge.
With that, the hearing was over. A deputy led Ferguson to the edge of the gallery, where an elderly woman clasped his face. They spoke softly. Ferguson's hands, cuffed and strapped to his waist, barely reached the woman's hips as they embraced. Ferguson kissed the woman on the cheek before the deputy led him out of the courtroom.
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CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire man has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in the 2011 disappearance and death of a Maine woman whose toddler daughter was found abandoned in her car.

Michael Petelis of Ossipee, N.H., is scheduled for a plea-and-sentencing hearing Wednesday in Carroll County Superior Court.

Petelis was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery in the case of Krista Dittmeyer, of Portland. She was found in a snowmaking pond at Cranmore Mountain in Conway, N.H. The discovery came four days after her car was found idling in the ski area's parking lot with her 14-month-old daughter unharmed inside.

Anthony Papile was sentenced to 50 years in prison for Dittmeyer's death. Trevor Ferguson was sentenced to at least seven years in prison for conspiring to rob her.
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Thank you for all of the updates, Raine. This is good news..as is the person who killed Amanda Bach.

OSSIPEE - The final defendant involved in the 2011 kidnapping and murder of 20-year-old Krista Dittmeyer pleaded guilty Wednesday as an accomplice to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison.

Michael Petelis, 29, of Ossipee, appeared with his attorney, Ted Barnes of Concord, before state prosecutors and Judge Philip Mangones in Carroll County Superior Court.

Answering questions from the judge about waivers, the charges and his constitutional rights, Petelis admitted to helping Anthony Papile, 29, of Ossipee plan and execute the murder of Dittmeyer in North Conway on April 23, 2011.

Petelis was one of the three suspects arrested and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Dittmeyer, whose body was found in a snowmaking pond in North Conway several days after her 14-month-old daughter was found sleeping in her car parked nearby. Anthony Papile, 29, of Ossipee, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is serving a 50-year jail term. Trevor Ferguson is serving a six-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2012 to two felony charges, conspiracy to commit robbery and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Petelis had initially been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, but at Wednesday's hearing assistant attorney general James Vara brought forth one new count of accomplice to second-degree murder. Petelis waived his right to have the charge brought before a grand jury and waived his right to a trial.

Mangones approved the terms of the negotiated plea and sentence, including the possibility that Petelis can shave two and a half years off his jail term if he completes drug and alcohol counseling, another two and a half years if he obtains an associate's degree while incarcerated, and another two and a half years if he stays out of trouble in jail. Mangones granted Petelis credit for 659 days of pretrial confinement. - See more at: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Michael Petelis is escorted out of the courtroom at Carroll County Superior Court after entering a guilty plea as an accomplice to second-degree murder for his role in the killing of Krista Dittmeyer in April of 2011 - See more at: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thank goodness!!! Let them all rot!