By Robert A. Baker, Maureen Nolan and John Mariani
Staff writers
The body of Jenni-Lyn Watson was found Saturday in a Clay town park, and her former boyfriend was charged with the killing a few hours later.
Steven M. Pieper, 21, of 8237 Coconut Tree Drive, Clay, was arrested about 4 p.m. and arraigned tonight on a charge of second-degree murder in Clay Town Court.
District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Pieper (PIE-per) and Watson had been involved in an on-and-off relationship, which Watson tried to end in early October. Fitzpatrick said Pieper did not take to that well.
Fitzpatrick said that on Nov. 19 Pieper went to the home where Watson lived with her parents and sister. He said authorities believe Pieper killed Watson in the house. The body was removed from her parent’s home by Pieper, and very shortly after, “dumped like garbage,” in Clay Central Park, Fitzpatrick said.
“We do not believe she left that house alive,” Fitzpatrick said.
A team of 18 searchers found Watson’s body at 10:30 a.m., a week and a day after she was reported missing from her parent’s home in Clay. Her body was covered with vegetation in a swampy, wooded area in Clay Central Park off Wetzel Road, an emotional Onondaga County Undersheriff Warren Darby said at a news conference this evening.
Jenni-Lyn Watson
Steven M. PieperThe discovery brought a grim close to the eight-day search for Watson, an effort that gripped the Syracuse area and commanded national media attention.
Pieper was arrested at the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office headquarters. He was arraigned before town Justice Brian J. Lauri. Pieper pleaded not guilty to the charge. Pieper's lawyer, Scott Brenneck, of Syracuse, was not present.
Because of the seriousness of the charge, Pieper will be held without bail until a county judge can rule on the matter, Fitzpatrick said. He said his office will argue against any bail for Pieper at that time.
Deputies interviewed Pieper twice during the search for Watson. At each interview, Pieper had a lawyer with him, Fitzpatrick said. Pieper denied all involvement with Watson’s disappearance, Fitzpatrick said.
“We knew very early on that he was a prime suspect,” Fitzpatrick said. He would not elaborate.
At his arraignment tonight, Pieper showed no emotion.
Pieper arrived at Clay court at 7:49 p.m. As television cameras lit the scene, two deputies walked a handcuffed Pieper into the courthouse. A reporter asked if Pieper had anything to say. Pieper kept his head down and was silent.
Justice Lauri called Pieper to the bench and read him the charge. Pieper answered the judge’s questions in a steady voice. Most answers were one word.
The court papers state that the death of Watson happened between 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 19.
Lauri read from a court document outlining the charge while Pieper stood before him. The document said Pieper went into Watson’s home, “intentionally caused her death by a yet undetermined manner,” removed her body from the house and “dumped” her body in the park.
Pieper told the judge he was employed with Pep Boys in Clay.
Lauri set Pieper’s next court date at 3 p.m. Friday.
There were no relatives of either Pieper or Watson in the courtroom at the arraignment.
Watson graduated from Liverpool High School in 2008. She has a younger sister, Lauren, who attends Liverpool High School.
There are several Facebook pages devoted to Watson. "Missing: Jenni-Lyn Watson" had 27,613 members as of 4 p.m. Saturday. Minutes after reports that police found a body believed to be Watson, a new page went up: "RIP Jenni-Lyn Watson." Comments ranged from calls for prayers to calls for justice and vengeance. Another memorial site was begun at www.jennilynforever.com.
» Video: RIP Jenni-Lynn Watson [YouTube]
Watson’s MySpace page includes many photos of Watson and a post that apparently she wrote:
“im jenni-lyn, everyone calls me Jenn-ay (like in forest gump). I’m going to be a sophomore at Mercyhurst college, im majoring in dance!! i love all my friends they are the best!! I’m a pretty simple person and usually pretty happy, especially at college!! i love black and white photography, watching the clouds, chillen at my camp, happy endings and disney movies, drinking hot coco after being out in the snow, and just the simple things in life. i’ve had some experiences that opened my eyes and made me who i am now but with that comes my huge trust issue... i dont trust people easily so don’t take it personally. I love my boyfriend he is thte best thing thats ever happened to me”
At Mercyhurst: One of Watson's friends called her "pure of heart."
» Follow our continuing coverage of the case
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