Indictment in 10-year old Chautauqua County cold case

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick E. Swanson and Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph A. Gerace announced today that thirty-one (31) year old Rance “Randy” Freeman, Jr., has been indicted for the November 2008 murder of Jeffrey Johnson.  Freeman was arraigned today in Chautauqua County Court on a two-count indictment alleging two charges of Murder in the Second Degree.  

The fifty-five (55) year-old Johnson was discovered deceased in his Westfield home on November 8, 2008.  The Village of Westfield Police Department, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department, and the Chautauqua County Forensic Investigation Team responded and began an investigation which led to the indictment of Freeman.  Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson credited the perseverance of the investigators, adding “My thanks go out to the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office and Westfield Police for their continued efforts in investigating this case.”

Freeman, of Mayville, entered a plea of not guilty before Chautauqua County Court Judge Stephen Cass.  Bail was set at $500,000 cash or $1,000,000 property.  Freeman is due to return to court for the completion of discovery and standard motions on a date yet to be determined. The charges carry a potential sentence ranging from fifteen years to life up to twenty-five years to life imprisonment.  As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law