POUGHKEEPSIE – Convicted murderer Paul Senecal, who is serving a 25-year to life sentence for murdering Melanie Chianese in May 2022, is still terrorizing the victim’s family from prison.
The victim was the daughter of his ex-girlfriend, Cheryl Chianese.
When Dutchess County Court Judge Edward McLoughlin sentenced Senecal in April of this year, the judge noted that Senecal had violated existing orders of protection that did not prevent Senecal from staying away from his ex-girlfriend or her daughter.
Senecal, at the time of the brutal murder, was also on electronic monitoring through an ankle bracelet administered by Dutchess County. The monitors did not notice that Senecal had traveled outside of the established boundaries, allowing him to stab the 29-year-old woman to death.
At sentencing, a 99-year order of protection was served, prohibiting Senecal from contracting the Chianese family. But, despite that, Senecal recently mailed a letter to the victim’s aunt in North Carolina. In that letter, the murderer complains that Judge McLoughlin didn’t let him speak at sentencing, prompting him to send the letter to the aunt.
He blames a mental illness for the murder and asks for everyone to donate to a fundraiser for the victim’s young son. He has potentially violated the law by encouraging “third-party contact,” by writing “If you or any of Melanie’s family or friends want to express your feelings towards me, you can email me on JPay, my DIN # is 23B2033.”
A family member told Mid-Hudson News on Monday “Killing Melanie wasn’t enough. He is continuing to terrorize the family and things need to change. The state needs to enact Melanie’s Law so no other family will experience the tragedy we live with every day.”
Senecal was transferred from Elmira Correctional Facility to Auburn Correctional Facility. When he arrived there, it was discovered that he had managed to include the phone number for Cheryl Chianese on his approved…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply