Retrial For New York Man Convicted Of Killing, Raping Hudson Valley Child

A Hudson Valley man convicted of raping and killing a 12-year-old in the Hudson Valley nearly 30 years ago is getting a new trial.

Jury selection for the retrial of a Putnam County man allegedly involved in the murder of a 12-year-old girl in 1994 begins this week.

Retrial For Putnam County Man Convicted Of Killing Child

Andrew Krivak spent roughly 24 years in prison before his release on bail in 2020 following his conviction being overturned.

In 1997, in separate trials, Krivak and his friend Anthony DiPippo were both convicted of raping and murdering 12-year-old Josette Wright of Carmel in 1995.

Wright's remains were discovered in Paterson in 1995. Her body was found in a wooded area.

Conviction Overturned In 2020

In October 2016, in Putnam County Court, a jury found DiPippo not guilty of all charges stemming from the 1994 rape and murder of Wright. The rule was the conclusion of DiPippo's third murder trial. His two previous convictions for the killing had been overturned on appeal.

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DiPippo’s conviction was overturned in 2011 due to a conflict of interest on behalf of DiPippo’s lawyer. In a second trial, in 2012, DiPippo was again convicted of murder.

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The Court of Appeals ruled in March that in 2012, the defense should have been allowed to present evidence about Howard Gombert. Gombert has a history of rape, knew the victim and allegedly told an inmate he was attracted to the 12-year-old girl.

The inmate, Joseph Santoro, who was incarcerated with Gombert in Connecticut, claimed that Gombert made incriminating admissions. According to Santoro’s affidavit, Gombert told him that Putnam County authorities were “trying to get him for the killing of two girls,” in the Putnam County area. Gombert named Wright as one of the girls, adding “they already convicted some other suckers.”

DiPippo later received a $12 million settlement with Putnam County.

Krivak's retrial is expected to begin in the near future.