Hudson Valley Woman Faces 3 Felonies In Brother's Stabbing Death

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — The Dutchess County woman who was accused of stabbing her brother to death during Thanksgiving dinner was indicted and charged with felony second-degree murder in Nassau County.

In addition to murder, Veronica Hardwick, 51, of Poughkeepsie, was charged with first-degree manslaughter and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, also felonies.

She pleaded not guilty and was sent back to jail to await her next court appearance on March 2, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly.

If convicted of the murder charge, she faces a potential maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Prosecutors said, on Nov. 25, Hardwick was visiting her mother and brother's home on Fulton Avenue in Hempstead for Thanksgiving.

That evening, she had an argument with her brother, Richard Reshard, 35, and picked up a large knife threatening to kill him, police said.

The argument continued and then Hardwick stabbed Reshard in the chest with a paring knife around 6:45 p.m., authorities said.

The wound punctured an artery of his heart.

Reshard was taken to Nassau University Medical Center where he died from his injuries two weeks later on Dec. 7.

Hardwick was arrested Dec. 1 by members of the Nassau County Police Department Homicide Squad.

Donnelly said her thoughts were with Reshard's family as they grieve his loss, adding that "Thanksgiving dinner became the tragic backdrop for extreme family violence."