Utica (WSYR-TV) - A man who pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his infant son outside of his mother's home in the Oneida County Town of Vienna in June was sentenced on Thursday morning.
During an emotionally charged scene in Oneida County Court, Adam Theall, 20, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
When District Attorney Scott McNamara told Judge Michael Dwyer that Theall should be sentenced to death, Theall hurled curses at the attorney. Family members of the dead child also cursed and threatened Theall, who responded in a similar fashion.
"Your heartless, depraved, murderous rampage toward our great nephew completely and forever cancelled and nullified your reason to exist," said Steven Baker, the slain child's uncle.
The remarks of another relative, Denise Sullivan, were similarly damning. "To sit an infant child on the muzzle of a gun and pull the trigger at your mother's home, makes you one that is beyond despicable. Beyond salvation and beyond forgiveness," she said.
The judge also issued orders of protection for the slain infant's mother and her other son.
Theall admitted in September that he had been up all night partying and was high on drugs the morning he murdered 3-month-old Eithen Theall in plain sight of an approaching State Trooper.
On his way out of the court, Theall and members of the family hurled insults at one another. The family members shouted "baby killer" as he exited the courtroom, while he shouted back "Scum bags."
After murdering the infant, Theall refused to drop his weapon and State Police officers fired on him. According to the police, Theall was shot "14 to 16" times before finally being brought down.
Man accused of murdering infant son pleads guilty
Sept. 30
Utica (WSYR-TV/AP) - An Oneida County man charged with murdering his infant son pleaded guilty Thursday morning.
On November 18, the 20-year-old Adam Theall will be sentenced in the shooting death of his son, 3-month-old Eithen Theall, in front of State Troopers in the Town of Vienna. His sentence will be 25 years to life.
Theall wept and had to sit down several times as he admitted killing his baby son.
Theall told an Oneida County judge he'd been partying with a friend the night before and was high on drugs when he grabbed a loaded shotgun from his mother's home and confronted police called to the house by a domestic disturbance report.
During the incident, Theall was shot 14 to 16 times by State Police after he refused to drop his weapon. He recovered after being treated at Upstate University Hospital.
Man accused of shooting infant son denied a change of venue
Sept. 9
Utica (WSYR-TV) - A man State Police say shot his 3-month-old son before turning his firearm on officers will not get a change of venue for his upcoming trial.
Adam Theall, 21, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Eithen Theall in the Town of Vienna on June 22.
Theall was shot by State Police 14 to 16 times before being brought down. He was airlifted to Upstate University Hospital where he received medical care.
A hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 30 and his trial is set for Nov. 29.
Man accused of murdering infant son appears in court
July 29
Utica (WSYR-TV) - He's accused of shooting his infant son to death in full view of state troopers, and, as of Thursday, Adam Theall is facing formal murder charges.
For the first time since the shooting, Theall appeared in Oneida County Court on Thursday and members of his family were also in attendance.
Theall was limping as he was brought into the courtroom, still suffering from wounds delivered from the guns of State Police who arrived on the scene along Pine Road in Blossvale last month.
Theall is accused of killing his son Eithen and now the family, including Eithan's mother Jamie, say they are dealing with a double loss.
"She has her days, she's coping but not very well - she's had a lot of issues, not only the loss of her child but the loss of Adam too," said Sandra Baker, baby Eithen's grandmother.
During Thursday's proceedings, Oneida County district attorney Scott McNamara put a deal on the table that could spare Theall and the bakers of having to go through a trial.
"The offer is to plead to the charge with a maximum sentence allowed by law, of 25 [years] to life. There is no offer, plead guilty and get the maximum," McNamara said.
For his part, Theall had nothing to say on his behalf during his court appearance this morning.
Theall now has three weeks to decide if he'll change his mind and plead guilty or proceed to trial.
Man accused of killing 3-month-old infant indicted
July 23
Utica (WSYR-TV) - The man accused of killing his 3-month-old son one month ago in front of a State Trooper in Oneida County was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday.
21-year-old Adam Theall was indicted on the charge of second-degree murder.
According to police, Theall shot his son Eithen Theall as they were arriving and refused to put down his weapon as troopers approached . Police say they shot Theall 14 to 16 times before bringing him down.
Theall was taken by helicopter to University Hospital where he recovered from his wounds. He will be arraigned on July 29 at 9:30 a.m.
He remains in jail with no bail set.
Man accused of killing son is arraigned
June 23
Floyd, NY (WSYR-TV) - The man accused of killing his 3-month-old baby Tuesday in the Oneida County town of Vienna was arraigned Saturday night on charges of second degree murder.
21-year-old Adam Theall faced a judge Saturday night in the Town of Floyd court. He was handed over to State Police earlier in the evening upon his release from University Hospital. Theall was shot sixteen times by troopers when he refused to put his gun down outside his house on Pine Road in Blossvale. Police are still trying to figure out why Theall shot and killed his infant son, Eithen.
No bail has been set for Theall and he's due back in court Thursday.
Police: Suspect in baby shooting, shot 14-16 times, should survive
June 23
Vienna, Oneida County (WSYR-TV/AP) - Evidence markers sit in the grass, just feet from scattered children's toys, marking the place where State Police say a father shot and killed his three-month-old son Tuesday morning.
State Police say Adam Theall, 21, shot and killed his three-month-old son Eithen Tuesday morning in front of a state trooper. Theall then turned his weapon toward troopers, who shot and injured him. Theall sustained 14 to 16 shots, according to the State Police. Despite the extent of his wounds, State Police expect Theall to survive.
He was scheduled for surgery at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The police still have not charged him with any new crimes. They say they can't charge him until he is aware enough to understand what he is being charged with. The police are investigating past incidents involving Theall and the child's mother, Jamie Baker.
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Trooper Francis Coots said that two females had called 911 around 9:00 a.m. to report that Adam Theall, 21, had threatened to kill his child, Eithen Theall, at 3609 Pine Road in the Town of Vienna. The home belongs to Theall's parents.
Theall allegedly shot his child when Trooper Carlo Gennario arrived on scene around 9:30 a.m. "As soon as the trooper got out of his car, he did it," said Coots.
Coots says that shortly after Theall shot his son, two other troopers arrived and they all asked Theall to drop his weapon. When Theall pointed the weapon at the troopers, the three opened fire and he was hit multiple times. "The actions of the troopers today are truly what they're trained to do. Their actions were heroic," said Coots.
Theall was taken by helicopter to University Hospital where he is in critical condition. Eithen was pronounced dead at the hospital at 10:04 a.m.
Two other children under five years old were inside the home on Pine Road, and both were left unharmed in the incident.
According to the police Theall does not live with his parents. Theall lives at 167 Pine Haven Circle in Rome.
Adam Theall had previous encounters with law enforcement, including one last Friday, where police were called to a domestic incident where they say he was taking his anger out on some trees.
Coots said that Theall will likely face a charge of second degree murder.
The baby's mother, Jamie Baker, just lost her brother at the beginning of May. He was killed in a shooting in Rome.
Oneida County gunman had violent criminal history
Oneida County (WSYR-TV) - When an Oneida County man killed his infant son and then threatened State Troopers, it wasn't his first collision with the law.
Theall has been involved in numerous incidents with the police before. In 2005, he violated a family court order and was charged with disorderly conduct. In 2008, he went to jail for three months after being charged with drunk driving, vehicular assault and several traffic violations. He was on probation at the time of Tuesday's incident.
He was also charged with misdemeanor assault in 2009 and, in a separate incident, he was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and assault.
Most recently, police were called to a domestic incident only four days prior to Tuesday's shooting. They say Theall was taking his anger out on some trees.
Theall's behavior didn't endear him to any neighbors either.
"I hate to call people names but he wasn't the greatest," said Barbara Russell, whose home is just a few doors down from Theall's.
Russell had observed Theall getting into fights and arguments several times, including one with her son.
"I kept my doors locked, even during the day and kept an eye on my grandchildren. He'd walk by here every time he'd see my son, he'd start calling him names, challenging him, he wasn't a very stable person," Russell said.
Many of Theall's neighbors say they have seen the police at his mobile home on several occasions several times in the past few years.
Lynn Hogsworth is a childhood friend of Theall's and came to the scene of the shooting shortly after it happened Tuesday morning.
"Like I said, Adam was a good kid as far as I know, he's had problems lately, some issues going on in his life, which we all do," she said.
But these issues, have now had devastating consequences.
