On the evening of St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025, a tragedy unfolded in a home on Roney Road in Syracuse, New York. Inside, 11-year-old Jeremiah Huff, a male, was shot and killed. At the time of the shooting, Jeremiah was on the phone with his mother, Samantha Gallup-Peltier, in a call that captured his final moments. When police responded to the scene at approximately 9:34 p.m., they discovered not only the body of the young boy but also that of 32-year-old Yeraldith Tschudy; both had died
from apparent gunshot wounds.
The immediate suspect in the double homicide was identified as Jeremiah's own father, 43-year-old David Huff, who was also Tschudy's boyfriend. Following the discovery of the bodies, a manhunt ensued that lasted for about 12 hours, involving multiple police agencies, including the use of a helicopter. The search came to an end the following morning, around 9:30 a.m., when a tip from a citizen led state police to Huff's location in the town of Onondaga, approximately two miles from the crime scene, where he was taken into custody without incident.
In the wake of the killings, David Huff faced a string of serious charges, including first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon. The weapon allegedly used in the crime was a 12-gauge shotgun. The investigation also revealed that Huff's stepfather was present during the incident and was allegedly targeted as well. This led to a grand jury indicting Huff on an additional charge of attempted murder, as it is believed the shotgun either ran out of ammunition or misfired when pointed at him.
Jeremiah was remembered as a vibrant and adventurous sixth-grade honor roll student at Gillette Road Middle School who loved sports and the outdoors. His mother described him as a 'perfect' straight-A student with aspirations of one day joining the Coast Guard. In court, Huff entered a plea of not guilty and is being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center without bail. Prosecutors have offered him a plea deal: plead guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for two consecutive sentences of 20 years to life in prison. If he rejects the offer and is convicted at trial, he could be sentenced to life without parole. His defense team has indicated they may pursue a psychiatric defense, and a full non-contact restraining order has been issued to prevent him from contacting Jeremiah's mother. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 13, with a trial not expected to begin until May of the following year.
