People v. Novak

Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of Sullivan County (LaBuda, J.), rendered January 31, 2014, upon a verdict convicting defendant of the crimes of murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree (two counts), burglary in the second degree, arson in the third degree, grand larceny in the second degree and insurance fraud in the second degree (two counts).

This appeal arises from a December 2008 incident where defendant killed his estranged wife (hereinafter the victim) and burned her house to the ground. An initial investigation of the victim’s death did not lead to criminal…