The New York State Police, Troop “F”, announce the arrest of Timothy R. Handel (dob 09/05/71), of 276 Riley Road in the Town of New Windsor, New York. On Wednesday, August 3rd State Police arrested Handel and charged him with Murder 2nd Degree in connection with the death of a female acquaintance, Kathleen M. Connolly 27 of 3165 Thistle Drive Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Both victim and defendant were former residents of Orange County, NY.

The lengthy investigation conducted by the West Hempfield Township Pennsylvania Police Department, Lancaster County Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office, Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the New York State Police began when Connolly was reported missing to the West Hempfield Township Police in Pennsylvania on July 21, 2011.

The investigation revealed that Ms. Connolly was last seen alive on or about July 7, 2011. Further investigation culminated with the recovery of a body (tentatively identified as Ms. Connolly) on Wednesday, August 03, 2011 from an area outside the rear of Handel’s residence on Riley Road in the Town of New Windsor, Orange County, NY.

The aforementioned agencies were assisted at the scene in New Windsor by the Town of New Windsor Police and Highway Departments , The Orange County Child Protective Services, the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office, Troop F Canine Units and the Troop F Forensic Identification Unit .

Mr. Handel was processed through SP Montgomery and arraigned in the Town of New Windsor Court by Town Justice Richard Thorpe and remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail.

Orange County District Attorney Frank Phillips announced that the Orange County Grand Jury will hear evidence in this case beginning on Tuesday Aug. 9, 2011.