Sentence rendered in Thomas Rath trial

By Wendy Post

“You don’t have power over us,” said Jenn Salone, Thomas Rath’s aunt, as the judge in his murder trial prepared to render a sentence to Joseph M. Howell last Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.

Howell was the first of 13 defendants convicted by a jury on murder and kidnapping charges related to the death of 34-year-old Thomas Rath. The 34-year-old was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in May of 2023, his body found in a shallow grave off of Ekroos Road in Candor, N.Y.

Howell, who arrived and remained handcuffed and in shackles, was given 25 to life for the murder charge, and 25 to life for the kidnapping charge. These sentences are set to run concurrently.

For the intimidation of a witness charge, Howell received six years, which will run consecutive to the other counts. This means that Howell will be serving 31 years behind bars.

But prior to the sentencing, Jenn Salone took the stand to deliver a victim impact statement.

Salone had already prepared a statement for the Jan. 13 sentencing hearing that was postponed, but came back with a different statement, repeating, over and over, “You don’t have power over us.”

She explained, “Two weeks ago, I came to court and had an entire statement prepared. I’ve spent the past two weeks in silence. So, given a lot of thought, this is what I’m presenting today.”

“You don’t have power over us,” she repeated once again.

As for Thomas Rath, she stated, “He deserves to be revered as the person he was, pre-addiction,” adding, “We will raise his daughter.”

Howell himself took the stand, prior to sentencing, claiming innocence.

Howell opened his statement by stating that nobody is perfect.

“When I get to the pearly gates, they will let me in,” and added, “When I die and go upstairs, I will go with a clear conscience. Thomas was never mistreated, I didn’t do it.”

He stated that Tioga County’s district attorney put on a “hell of a show,” and continued to state that all of the prosecution witnesses were lying to get a deal, and that he had nothing to do with it.

Also, during the Jan. 31 sentencing, an order of protection, ensuring safety for three of the witnesses that Howell had intimidated was awarded. The order is valid for 32 years. The district attorney attempted to secure 40 years but only managed to get 32.

The sentencing hearing adjourned by 2:10 p.m., and Howell was escorted, still handcuffed and shackled, and without emotion, out of the courtroom.

Upcoming trials in Tioga County related to this case include that of Jonathan Glennon, who faces the same charges as Howell, and Angelo Baez, who was found guilty of murder and kidnapping charges in December. Glennon was in the truck when Thomas Rath was driven to his death on Ekroos Road in Candor, N.Y. The trial is expected to occur in March.

Also upcoming is the trial for Kysha S. Radcliff, of Lansing, N.Y. Radcliff has been charged with Kidnapping in the First Degree and will stand trial in Tioga County, N.Y. sometime this month.