Crime & Safety

Westerly Man Convicted Again For Second-Degree Murder

David Roscoe pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday after his conviction for the same crime was overturned by the Supreme Court.

A Rhode Island man was convicted of second-degree murder on Wednesday for the second time. David Roscoe, 62, formerly of Westerly, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison with 20 to serve. Roscoe was previously found guilty on the same charge in 2016, but the conviction was overturned by the Rhode Island Supreme Court earlier this year.

The second-degree murder charge stemmed from the murder of 85-year-old Germaine Mouchon, who was killed in his West Warwick apartment in the early hours of August 4, 1990. The case went unsolved for more than two decades, until investigators were able to link Roscoe to the crime scene thanks to advances in forensic DNA technology and an inquiry from the victim's grandson.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General's office, DNA databases have grown substantially, allowing investigators to retest samples from cold cases against a much larger field of suspects. Roscoe had been previously convicted of child molestation and felony assault.

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