Massey guilty of murder in the second degree
by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

More than one year later, the verdict is in.

Terrol Massey, 17, of Amherst has been found guilty of murder in the second degree in the death of Amherst resident Antoinette Larkin.

According to prosecutor Christopher Belling, at approximately 5 p.m. on May 20, 2005, Massey met with several other individuals at the corner of Main Street and Transit Road to plot the murder of the 66-year-old former nurse.

It is alleged that Lynn Larkin, paid Massey $5,000 to strangle her mother-in-law so she could collect insurance money. She has not been tried in the case.

Her husband at the time, Robert Larkin, son of the murdered woman, did not know of the reported plot.

Lynn Larkin, now 40, is accused of driving Massey to Antoinette Larkin's home at 181 S. Forest Road and telling him to make noise so her mother-in-law would come downstairs.

Massey then killed the woman.

In addition to the charge of second-degree murder, Massey was also found guilty of conspiracy in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

According to state penal law, Massey could be tried only for second-degree murder because he is under the age of 18.

Supreme Court Justice Penny Wolfgang presided over the case and will sentence Massey on Oct. 25. The teenager, who was 16 when he committed the crime, faces up to 25 years in prison.

Wolfgang will also preside in the case against Lynn Larkin, who has been charged with murder in the first degree. If convicted, she could be sentenced to life without parole.

The other four parties involved pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Teresa Smith, 19, of Clarence facilitated the murder, allegedly by introducing Massey to Lynn Larkin.

Smith is the girlfriend of Kenneth Draves, 22, the son of Lynn Larkin from a previous marriage. Draves supplied a jacket to Massey during the murder.

Joshua Burns, 21, supplied a hat Massey wore during the crime.

The jacket and hat were used to disguise the teen, so he could sneak into the house without anyone seeing, said Belling.

Jacob Herbert, 15, supplied a cell phone, which was reportedly used to communicate with Lynn Larkin that the act was finished.

Sentencing for the four conspirators is pending the trial of Lynn Larkin, said Belling.

e-mail: JSchmelzer@beenews.com