Adam Smith, 48, is accused of killing two men in St. Lawrence in February and March 2023. He is currently being held without bond at SLCCF. (Courtesy photo)

CANTON — State Police Detective Daniel Haley concluded his testimony in the Adam Smith murder trial after initially taking the stand during the Oct. 30 afternoon session.

Smith is accused of killing Ronald “Huck” Durham on February 11, 2023 in Gouverneur and William Freeman in the town of Rossie on March 2, 2023.

The knife matches the weapon used in the Durham murder

During his cross-examination by defense attorney Brian Barrett, Haley was asked about the knife police found in a trash bag found in the back of Smith’s 2016 Ford F-150, which was secured in Cortland.

Barrett asked for a timeline of discovery, which Haley said took place on March 9, nearly four weeks after Durham’s Feb. 11 slaying.

Barrett asked Haley if he had spoken to Patrolman Austin Fisk of the Cortland City Police Department, to which Haley replied that he had not because Fisk was on vacation at the time he was informed that the truck Smith was in the custody of Cortland City Police.

Barrett questioned the length of time between the killing and the discovery of the knife, suggesting it could be difficult to prove the knife was used.

But during redirect by District Attorney Gary Pasqua, Haley said Dr. Scott Lapoint, who performed Durham’s autopsy on Feb. 12, commented that an injury to Durham’s chin was consistent with a partially seated blade.

Haley said the blade of the Gerber knife recovered from Smith’s truck was a partially seated blade.

Smith’s truck was unregistered, the investigator says

During Haley’s cross-examination last week, Barrett questioned the traffic stop that led to the impoundment of Smith’s vehicle in Cortland.

At one point, Barrett entered a photo into evidence showing a registration and inspection sticker on Smith’s windshield, both of which appeared to be up-to-date, according to Haley.

But during the redirect, Pasqua asked Haley to clarify what could lead to the record being suspended.

Haley commented that there could be a number of issues, including failure to submit paperwork to register a vehicle, an expired registration that has not been renewed, or a registration suspended by the DMV due to loss of insurance coverage.

In Smith’s case, he commented that it was his understanding that Smith’s truck registration was suspended for lack of insurance, which is required by New York state law.

“And the DMV wouldn’t come scratch that sticker, right?” asked Pasqua.

“No, he wouldn’t,” Haley said.

Durham murder scene questioned

Although Barrett asked Haley several times if it was possible that Durham had been killed elsewhere and dumped at the Eastside Cemetery on February 11, Haley said he believed Durham was killed at the scene.

In his redirect, Pasqua went a step further and asked Haley if she believed Durham was killed in his vehicle.

Photos shown in court showed blood at the base of the driver’s door as well as the side panels of Durham’s truck. A small pool of blood could also be seen near the driver’s seat.

But Haley said the massive blood loss seen outside the truck around Durham’s body would suggest he died in the cemetery outside his truck.

At the time of the autopsy, Haley said only one vial of blood could be drawn because of Durham’s massive blood loss.

Haley also confirmed that Durham’s truck keys were found in his pocket during the autopsy.

According to the autopsy report read by Haley in court, Durham died of multiple blunt force injuries and at least three stab wounds to the neck.

Freeman’s murder parallels the Durham murder

On March 2, the day William Freeman is believed to have been killed, Haley said he was initially at the scene to help with photo evidence and site security.

It wasn’t until March 3 that he was tasked with collecting evidence, although he said most of the evidence was collected by other investigators before his involvement.

“Initially I was not tasked with collecting evidence, but I collected some evidence on March 3,” he said in response to Pasqua’s questions.

Haley said he was no longer directly involved in collecting evidence at Freeman’s crime scene, but was still involved in the case as police pieced together evidence.

Adam Smith’s murder trial will continue on Wednesday, November 6 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Lawrence.