[A] Poultney man already facing federal drug and firearms charges after police found a dead woman on his property earlier this year has now been charged with hiding the body in his shed.
Wayne A. Oddo, 53, pleaded not guilty Monday in Rutland County Superior Court to two new felonies: impeding a police investigation and unauthorized burial or removal of a dead body.
Oddo was initially charged with federal offenses in March when police said they found the body of Alexandra Rooker, 26, of Fair Haven, in a shed on his property.
An affidavit filed Monday in the state case provides more details than have previously been released about the time leading up to the discovery.
Police went to Oddo’s home on Morse Hollow Road on March 11, about eight days after Rooker was last seen at his residence, an affidavit written by Trooper Lucas Hall states. Two detectives met Oddo, who told them he would rather speak with them on the porch rather than allowing them into the home, the affidavit says.
Oddo then told detectives the last time he had seen Rooker was on the evening of March 3 and that she left with another man, Lucas wrote.
“Oddo added Rooker was upset with him (Oddo) because he wasn’t going to be giving her money any more, as he used to,” the affidavit says.
Oddo later told police he believed Rooker died of a drug overdose several days earlier and that he was “scared” and “didn’t know what to do,” the affidavit states.
While detectives were questioning him March 11 on the porch, Oddo later said, Rooker’s body was on the floor near the back door, according to the affidavit. After the detectives left, Oddo added, he moved the body into the shed, the trooper wrote.
Rooker’s cause of death was acute mixed intoxication, according to a state death certificate. Three drugs were found her system: morphine, methamphetamine and hydromorphone, the document says.
No one has been charged directly in connection with Rooker’s death.
Oddo also told police, according to court filings, that he let others use his residence as a base of operation as they dealt drugs in nearby towns, including Rutland. In exchange, they would provide him drugs for his own use, records state.
In addition to the state charges, Oddo is facing federal charges of possession of a firearm while using drugs, conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, and making his residence available to others using or selling illegal drugs.
He has entered not guilty pleas to those charges.
