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David C. Reed, the Syracuse man accused of killing his two young sons during an alleged arson at his residence, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of child neglect in exchange for dismissal of the murder charges.
The murder charges resulted from the deaths of Reed's two young sons, Austin, 3, and Justin, 1. The boys died in their beds during a March 1, 1998, house fire at 9816 Majestic Way, in Marineland Gardens, Syracuse.
The fire was first ruled accidental after investigators found unusual burn patterns but no indication that an accelerant was used. Further investigation led officials to believe the fire was arson.
In August 2002, prosecutors presented their evidence to a grand jury and Reed was indicted on two counts of murder.
Reed's plea agreement specifies that he plead guilty to the two counts of child neglect, charged as Class B felonies, and recommends he serve 15 years in prison. The agreement saves him from the potential of life in prison without parole, the sentence prosecutors planned to recommend if he was found guilty of the murder charges.
The new charges are related to a lock Reed placed on the outside of the boys' bedroom, creating a potentially dangerous situation for the children, Reed's attorney J. Brad Voelz said.
The charges reportedly have nothing to do with arson or murder and relate specifically to the situation created by locking the children in their bedroom at nighttime.
Reed told the court that he placed the lock on the door to keep the children from getting up and running around at night. The door reportedly had no handle and was easily opened.
Judge Rex Reed, Kosciusko Circuit Court, will rule on the plea agreement, and sentencing is set for May 19. If the judge rejects the plea agreement, David Reed's plea will be rescinded.
Former Detective Sgt. Thomas Brindle, the lead investigator during the 1998 fire investigation, said today that he believes David Reed's sentence is fair. Brindle also said there were mixed opinions regarding the fire's cause in 1998.
Michael Christofeno, special prosecutor in the case, was not available for comment.
