GUILTY NY - James Krauseneck, 70, sentenced for 1982 ax murder of wife Cathleen Krauseneck - 11/9/22

[Bishop Black]

Man Sentenced for 1982 Ax Murder of His Wife After the Case Went Unsolved for Nearly 40 Years

A 70-year-old New York man who was found guilty of using an ax to murder his wife in 1982 was sentenced to 25 years to life on Monday, the Monroe County District Attorney stated on her official Twitter account.

"James Krauseneck was sentenced to the max 25 years to Life for killing Cathleen Krauseneck with an ax while she slept in her Brighton home in 1982," DA Sandra Doorley tweeted. "Here at the MCDA's office, we do not give up on victims. We will do everything in our power to secure justice, even 40 years later."

On February 19, 1982, Brighton Police Officers were called to James' home, which he shared with his wife Cathleen and their 3-year-old daughter Sara. His 29-year-old wife was found deceased in her bed.

"Reports show that Cathleen was killed from a strike in the head with an ax while she slept," Doorley stated in a September press release.

For years, police searched for whoever killed the young mom as she slept with her daughter nearby. Decades passed and the case went cold.

Since 2015, Doorley and investigators from the Monroe County District Attorney's Office worked with the Brighton Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Monroe County Crime Lab and renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to further review the case.

In November 2019, James was indicted by a grand jury on a second-degree murder charge. In September, he was found guilty by a Monroe County jury.