Westfield Homicide Trials Continue in Superior Court by PETER CURRIER Alone with a Razor Blade and Blood on His Staff Writer Hands
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The Westfield NewsSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 $1.00 MONDAY,TUESDAY, MARCH JUNE 27, 29, 2017 2021 VOL.75 cents 90 NO. 73 Westfield homicide trials continue in Superior Court By PETER CURRIER alone with a razor blade and blood on his Staff Writer hands. VADYM DANIEL BLAKE J. BRIAN FANION SPRINGFIELD — Four Westfield homicide Tkach’s body was discovered in those woods MISIRUK A. TORRES SCANLON cases will continue to be heard in Springfield the following day. Misiruk had pleaded not- Superior Court this spring. guilty to the murder charge. On April 28, former Westfield Police Officer 2020 after he posted $200,000 cash bail. Trials for Vadym Misiruk, Daniel Torres, Daniel A. Torres, 29, is accused of killing Brian Fanion, 57, will have a motion hearing The final pending homicide case is that of Blake Scanlon and Brian Fanion are slated to his infant daughter in July, 2018. He is sched- and final pre-trial conference in Springfield Blake J. Scanlon, 25, who will have his final continue starting in mid-April. The four men uled to have a status hearing on April 14. Superior Court. Fanion is accused of killing pre-trial conference on June 10. Scanlon is are on trial for separate incidents that took According to police reports and court docu- his wife on May 18, 2018 via a gunshot wound alleged to have killed his girlfriend, 20-year- place in 2018 and 2019. ments, Torres is accused of having beat his to the head. Fanion was not arrested until old Alexis Avery, on Jan. 11, 2019. Police said Misiruk, 20, will face a competency hearing infant daughter, Lily Anayah Torres, to the November, 2019 after a lengthy multi-depart- that Scanlon had killed Avery in their apart- on April 13. He is accused of killing 17-year- point of unconsciousness. ment investigation. He claimed that his wife’s ment in Westfield before calling the police on old Southwick resident Nazar Tkach in Stanley Torres allegedly called emergency services death was a suicide, a claim his defense attor- himself two days later after self-inflecting Park on Sept. 19, 2019. Witnesses reported himself, after which his daughter was brought neys continued to make at his arraignment. several lacerations on his forearms. During his that they saw Misiruk follow Tkach into a sec- to Baystate Noble Hospital, where she passed Prosecutors alleged that it would have been Jan. 14, 2019 arraignment, Scanlon pleaded tion of woods in Stanley Park after the two away two days later after having been resusci- physically impossible for Amy Fanion’s death not guilty to the homicide charge. apparently had an argument, according to tated at least eight times. to have been a suicide based on the location Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, court documents. Minutes later, Misiruk is Torres was charged with second degree mur- and angle of the gunshot wound. these hearings will take place either by tele- reported to have returned from the woods der and pleaded not guilty. Fanion was released from jail on Feb. 14, conference or via Zoom. Westfield Tech students building Lewis Street condex By AMY PORTER tial construction” on this job. Staff Writer “Houses like this are a great opportunity for these kids, a WESTFIELD – A new two-family home at 8 Lewis St. is great opportunity to learn,” Roy said, adding, “There is a need going up, thanks to the work of juniors and seniors from for good carpenters.” Westfield Technical Academy’s Construction Technology WTA Principal Joseph Langone also stopped by the work site department. on Thursday. “Let’s be honest, the fact that we are able to A dilapidated house on the property had been previously accommodate a project of this scale with COVID and all the razed by the city, which sold the property at auction in 2018 to precipitous changes in the economy is no mean feat. None of David MacIver and Joseph Tremblay of Westfield for $33,000. this could happen without great students, great educators and a A special permit was granted to MacIver for the house build in powerful community relationship. We’re thrilled to be able to December, 2018. Construction began in November, 2020. do it,” he said, adding, “This particular project is something we Construction Tech teacher Matt Gomes said the condex, side hope to become a regular occurrence.” by side condominiums, were designed by the school. “It’s “We’ve been standing up houses in this town since the 80’s. going well,” Gomes said. Most vocational schools are not capable of doing what we’re A crew of seniors was working on the job site on March 25, doing — they build sheds,” said Gomes. including Vitaliy Okhrimenko, Matthew Thayer, Aubrey Bryant, Ben Yvon and Cameron Hiltbrand. When asked wheth- WTA Construction Tech seniors Vitaliy Okhrimenko, Matthew Thayer, Aubrey Bryant, Ben Yvon and Cameron Hiltbrand and instructor Brian Roy. (AMY PORTER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) er the winter weather had slowed them down, one student said they spent a lot of time shoveling. Gomes said the project was on hiatus before and after Christmas due to a COVID shutdown at the school, and they are a little behind schedule. He said the second floor walls will be framed over the next two weeks, in anticipation of a delivery of 50-foot roof trusses. “We’ll have it framed by the end of the year,” Gomes said. “They’re doing fantastic,” said Construction Tech teacher Brian Roy. “A considerable amount of this is advance framing, incorporating engineered materials for weight and compres- sion.” WTA Career Tech director Peter Taloumis, Construction Tech Roy said the students are working with custom pieces in the instructor Brian Roy, Principal Joseph Langone and WTA senior Aubrey Bryant, Construction Tech teacher Brian side by side duplex, with intricate framing on both sides and a Construction Tech instructor Matt Gomes at the work site. Roy and Principal Joseph Langone discuss the project. (AMY fire rated wall in between. He said they were “deep into residen- (AMY PORTER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) PORTER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) Field and greenhouse prep underway at Westfield farms By LORI SZEPELAK Also on-site is the Pomeroy Dairy, offered by the state. Correspondent a store which is open every day “Part of our mission is to address WESTFIELD-Tilling the land and from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. for self-serve. food insecurity,” said Adams, noting pruning varieties of trees and bushes “We offer maple syrup, cheese she has at least six CSA plans that are currently on the to-do list for curds, yogurt and cream cheese, all will be paid with SNAP/HIP bene- many local farmers – and despite the made on the farm,” said Pomeroy- fits. “I would like to see more par- unpredictability of Mother Nature – Monahan, adding, “right now we ticipation since this is a really won- several in the city are ready to be also have maple candy and maple derful program for families and knee-deep in plantings that will cream.” seniors.” nourish the souls of many local resi- For Connie Adams and John Both Adams and Keilch are cur- dents in the months to come. Keilch of the Yellow Stonehouse rently cleaning up the yard and “For us spring means we are fin- Farm, they are waiting for their flower beds. ishing up with making maple syrup fields to dry out. Their farm is a “We have hired two-thirds of our and starting to prepare equipment USDA certified organic farm CSA summer crew,” said Adams, noting for field work,” said Randy Pomeroy (Community Supported Agriculture) several are college students who of Pomeroy Farm. “We will start program. will work until May. planting corn that will be used to “We really can’t go out into the As the couple marks 10 years of feed our cows as soon as the soil fields since everything is so wet,” running the farm, Adams said there warms up enough for the seeds to Hanging plants are plentiful at said Adams, adding, “We are grow- are a lot of rewards in farming. germinate.” Kosinski Farms. (ELISA KOSINSKI ing thousands of transplants that “It’s amazing here,” she said, not- Pomeroy said the soil needs to be PHOTO) will go into the ground the first good ing the “great pollinators, bees, but- at least 50 degrees to ensure that up, we are checking and repairing week of April.” Randy Pomeroy of Pomeroy Farm terflies and birds” she experiences corn seeds can germinate. He added fences to get cows out on pasture,” The couple will be planting a is seen planting corn. (RACHEL up-close every day. “We feel really that pumpkin seeds will go in the he said. “We are fortunate enough to wide variety of vegetables including POMEROY-MONAHAN PHOTO) good about growing great food and ground soon as well. have some great friends willing to eggplant, peppers, lettuce, kale, sev- “We sell shares for pick up on preserving the farmland.” “When the frost thaws we start to help us, so we don’t hire any addi- eral varieties of tomatoes, cucum- four days – Wednesdays, Thursdays, It is also all hands on deck at spread cow manure on the fields,” tional people for spring and sum- bers, watermelon, Brussel sprouts, and Fridays from 3-6:30 p.m., and Kosinski Farms with blueberry he said, noting a tillage tool known mer.” cabbage and okra.