In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in May 2021, the quiet of the Town of Dekalb was shattered by a report of a burglary that would leave a family grieving and a community in shock. On May 4th, deputies responded to a call at a residence on County Route 18, where they discovered the body of 40-year-old Justin Allen Massey of Richville, New York. He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound.
Justin, a father of seven, was remembered for his love of fishing, his playful nature with his children, and his affinity for tie-dye shirts and Scooby Doo. A roofer by trade, he was a son, a brother, and a friend whose life was cut tragically short. His unexpected death set in motion a complex investigation that would see charges filed, dropped, and refiled against different individuals.
Initially, authorities arrested 30-year-old John Anson, charging him with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. However, as the investigation progressed and physical evidence was reviewed, these charges were ultimately dropped. He did, however, still face a felony charge of second-degree assault and was released under probationary supervision.
The focus of the investigation then shifted to 51-year-old Charles Anson, also of Richville. He was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder and making a false written statement in connection with Justin Massey's death. A third individual, 25-year-old Kayla Briggs of DeKalb Junction, was also implicated in the case. She was charged with the felony of tampering with physical evidence, accused of attempting to conceal evidence related to the homicide. Charles Anson was held in the county jail without bail as the legal process began to unfold.
