Jury selected in Rath Murder Trial; Angelo Baez appears in Tioga County Court

By Wendy Post

TIOGA COUNTY, N.Y. — The jury for the second Thomas Rath Murder Trial in Tioga County was selected last week, and opening arguments began on Tuesday, Dec. 3, as the prosecution started to present its case against 48-year-old Angelo Baez.

Baez is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and an intimidation charge in the case involving the kidnapping, torture, and murder of 34-year-old Thomas Rath.

Baez was flanked by his court-appointed attorneys on Tuesday, clean-shaven and suited up for court, his hair pulled back.

His attorney, Amanda Kelly, from Binghamton, N.Y., delivered the opening arguments for the defense, but not until Tioga County’s Assistant District Attorney, Lillian Reardon, delivered opening arguments for the prosecution. This all followed the judge’s instructions to the jury.

Just last month, Joseph M. Howell, often referred to as the “ringleader” in this case, was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and three counts of intimidating a witness in the abduction, torture, and murder of 34-year-old Thomas Rath. His sentencing is currently set for Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 at the Tioga County Courthouse in Owego, N.Y.

Howell, as well as Angelo Baez, now on trial, are two of the three facing first-degree murder charges in this case. Jonathan Glennon, aged 31, is the third person with similar charges. Glennon was recently extradited from the state of Maine to Tioga County, where he is awaiting trial.

Now on trial, Angelo Baez will be subjected to the prosecution’s witnesses as the timeline from the point of the kidnapping to the discovery of Rath’s body is unraveled for the jury, with the defense and prosecution presenting their evidence.

To narrate a bit, this story began back at what is known as “The Jungle” in Ithaca, N.Y. It is a wooded area separated from businesses in one area by railroad tracks. For those that live there, the camps are each labeled a bit different, and the lifestyle can be dangerous for those residing there.

Thomas Rath fell upon some hard times and found himself at this encampment. He was also involved with a woman, Brelynn B. Vorrasi, age 27 of Lodi, N.Y. This “love triangle,” as referred to in court, involved Joseph Howell, who was found guilty last month of his charges.

Howell, again referred to as the “ringleader,” was said to have orchestrated things, but the initial kidnapping involved multiple people and required much unraveling.

Initially, as stated in a press release available on the State Police website at https://troopers.ny.gov/news/13th-person-charged-connection-thomas-rath-murder, Thomas Rath was abducted from the site, and the video shown during the previous trial was actually taken and submitted as prosecution evidence.

There were many twists and turns. Many originally charged entered into cooperation agreements in exchange for lesser charges, and sometimes dismissal.

Thomas Rath was kidnapped, taken away to a home where he endured hours of torture at the hands of Joseph Howell, while others watched, some participated, and the pain only ended in Rath being taken away in a truck driven by Robert Hines. His decomposed body was found months later in a shallow grave off of Ekroos Road in Candor, N.Y.

On Tuesday, the prosecution pointed to Angelo Baez as the “triggerman”, and talked of Baez’s relationship with Joseph Howell, and hinted towards Baez’s desire to make Howell happy.

In fact, the district attorney argued, it was Angelo Baez who took a video of the abduction and sent it to Joseph Howell.

Others initially charged with kidnapping solicited help to transport Thomas Rath to 70 Benjamin Hill Rd. in Newfield, N.Y., the home where hours of torture took place.

As she finished her  closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Lillian Reardon told the jury, “Baez and Glennon pulled the trigger.”

She also noted that, although Baez and Glennon tried to clean up the scene at Elkroos, they didn’t get everything. This was in reference to the shell casings found at the scene and the later forensic match.

The defense attorney, during opening arguments, highlighted that many of the individuals involved in some way were similarly charged, but most have taken deals. She also argued the inconsistency of the witnesses to be presented and that everyone is pointing the finger.

She also noted that her client, Angelo Baez, had “zero issues” with Thomas Rath, and that although he is described as an addict, he did not commit crimes to feed his habit.

In this case, she said that her client was forced to watch what was happening, and he was fearful for his own life. Attorney Kelly argued to the jury, “He was threatened, because he knew too much.”

Testifying for the prosecution on Tuesday morning was Thomas Rath, Thomas Rath’s father with a different middle name. The grieving father explained that Thomas Rath was his first son, out of four children. He had last seen his son on Dec. 10, 2022.

The father explained that when Covid hit, his son lost his construction job in the north, which eventually led him to addiction.

Also testifying for the prosecution on Tuesday was 30-year old Zayne G. Burlingame, who was brought in shackles from Tompkins County, where he is incarcerated. Burlingame also entered into a cooperation agreement, with his charge of first-degree kidnapping reduced to second-degree kidnapping. He will serve five years in prison under this agreement; a first-degree charge would have resulted in a 25-year sentence.

Burlingame admitted to his addictions, and he also lived in the jungle.

“It’s a lawless place where people get high,” said Burlingame, who testified that he knew Thomas Rath very well, and that they were good friends.

Burlingame was present when things happened in May 2023, and talked of the video recordings and the involvement of Angelo Baez. He also testified about Thomas Rath being handcuffed, and the abuse he was already enduring, like getting hit on the head with a wrench when he tripped.

Burlingame went to see his father after Thomas Rath was placed into a vehicle, and he told his father he was worried about Thomas Rath.

That was the last time he saw his friend alive.

During cross-examination, the defense attorney questioned the witness’s clarity after he admitted to drug use. The defense also argued some of the witness’s prior inconsistencies.

The trial, taking place at the Tioga County Courthouse in Owego, N.Y., and with the Honorable Judge Adam Schumacher presiding, continued throughout the week, with prosecution witnesses taking the stand. Following this, the defense will present any witnesses and evidence, and the jury will deliberate.

(Note from the Editor: We go to production on Wednesday, so any updates taking place prior to the print publication can be found at www.owegopennysaver.com.)