Eye-witness testimony presented in the Thomas Rath murder trial

By Wendy Post —

TIOGA COUNTY, N.Y. — The murder trial for 34-year-old Thomas Rath continued Friday at the Tioga County Courthouse in Owego, with 48-year-old Angelo Baez on trial for first-degree murder, second-degree murder, kidnapping in the first degree, and an intimidation charge in the case involving the kidnapping, torture, and murder of 34-year-old Thomas Rath. The 34-year-old was taken from his camp in Ithaca in May of 2023, his body found in a shallow grave off of Ekroos Road in Candor, N.Y. in August 2023.

Returning to the Tioga County Courthouse on Friday was Colleen E. Dillon, aged 32, of Newfield, N.Y. Dillon resided at 70 Benjamin Hill Rd. in Newfield with Joseph Howell, who was found guilty last month on charges parallel to Baez and is awaiting sentencing.

The two, Dillon and Howell, lived together in May 2023, specifically on May 20 and May 21, 2023.

Colleen Dillon was initially charged with first-degree kidnapping in this case, but under a cooperation agreement, she was able to get a reduced charge of second-degree kidnapping, a charge that offers ten years behind bars; a first-degree kidnapping charge carries a 25 year prison sentence.

Dillon was released with an ankle monitor until sentencing and upon the fulfillment of her cooperation agreement with the prosecution. On Thursday, Dec. 6, 2024, Dillon detailed her involvement in the kidnapping and also described the events she witnessed at her own home, the home she shared with Howell on Benjamin Hill Road.

Colleen Dillon’s testimony was vital to the prosecution as she offered eyewitness testimony on what took place from the time Thomas Rath disappeared until the point at which he was put in a truck driven by Robert Hines of Candor; a truck that would turn down Ekroos Road and lead Rath to his death in a shallow grave.

As background, Dillon testified that she was addicted to cocaine, methamphetamines, and Xanax while she was living with Howell. Dillon also added that she has been clean and sober for two years now, and is awaiting a prison sentence.

Through her testimony, Dillon begins in the area known as “The Jungle” in Ithaca, where, upon instruction, she was to pick up Baez.

When she arrived, she described how Angelo Baez, along with Jonathan Glennon, who is standing trial on similar charges in the coming months, put Rath in the back of the Volvo they were driving.

Dillon testified that she was carrying a gun that she was instructed to give to Baez. They then drove Thomas Rath to 70 Benjamin Hill Rd. and put him in the garage.

Although Dillon remained inside her home for most of this time, she did observe what was taking place in the garage, the torture, and even testified that she turned up the music in the home to drown out the noise.

What she witnessed was Thomas Rath being violated, and she said that Angelo Baez and Joseph Howell were torturing him together.

Dillon testified that both Howell and Baez seemed to be “proud and excited” about what they were doing, and that Thomas Rath appeared to be very scared.

“Tom was injured,” Colleen Dillon testified, adding, “he looked like he was hurting.”

She then testified that Rath was loaded into the truck, driven by Robert Hines, with Baez and Glennon riding along, and that was the last she saw of Rath.

The next morning, she further testified that she woke up to Hines, Baez, and Glennon at her door, and that Baez looked at her and said, “Nobody has to worry about Thomas anymore.”

In the cross-examination, defense attorney Amanda Kelly questioned the witness’s credibility, as similar questions posed to Dillon during the Grand Jury proceedings revealed inconsistencies.

The defense also argued, during her cross-examination, that everyone was protecting Joseph Howell and putting it all on Baez – until the agreement.

As for Angelo Baez, who remained without emotion for much of Dillon’s testimony, except for an occasional eye-roll or shaking his head a bit, gestures of displeasure with the testimony.

But the smoking gun, so to speak, appeared to emerge for Baez when a phone conversation between him and Howell was played for the jury. Although inaudible, a transcript accompanied the recording, which was obtained through a search warrant.

When it was played for the jury, profanities were heard, and a lot of yelling. A once confident Baez put his hands over his face, elbows on the table, and stayed that way while most of the audio was played. After that, Baez was more subdued than usual; his face was solemn.

But with Howell already found guilty of murder and kidnapping, Dillon must continue her testimony under the prosecution agreement, or her sentence will more than double.

Things continue on Monday, with closing arguments expected next week.