Harrison Thorp 9:56 a.m.
Thursday, October 24, 2019 9:56 am
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DOVER - The defense team in the murder trial of a Dover man accused in the grisly killing of two women in Farmington in 2017 will ask the court to dismiss the case this afternoon.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley confirmed the news this morning to The Rochester Voice.
Timothy Verrill, 37, of Dover, is standing trial on two first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Christine Sullivan of Meaderboro Road, Farmington, and Jenna Pellegrini of Barrington. The trial is now in its seventh day.
The request to dismiss comes in the wake of a juror's interview by Judge Steven Houran on Wednesday prior to testimony by Jason Parker, a witness for the state.
After a long interview conducted by Houran and lawyers from both sides, the juror was released back into the jury pool with no finding announced, but immediately following that interview Houran along with both teams huddled privately for almost a half hour before Parker was sworn in, fueling speculation that whatever the juror said may have provoked the defense's request for dismissal today.
Verrill stands accused in the Jan. 27, 2017, deaths of both Sullivan and Pellegrini at 979 Meaderboro Road, in Farmington.
Verrill could get life in prison without parole if found guilty of first-degree murder.