Woman Who Hid Husband's Body In Manure Sentenced To 25 Years

WARSAW, N.Y. (AP) -- The wife of a New York farmer whose body was found buried in manure has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his slaying.

Forty-nine-year-old Charlene Mess of Attica was sentenced Thursday in Wyoming County Court, where she pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the April 2015 death of Douglas Mess, her husband of 30 years.

Authorities say Charlene Mess apparently had argued with her 52-year-old husband before hitting him with a pitchfork and shooting him in the head with a .22-caliber rifle. They say she buried the body under three feet of manure on the family dairy farm.

One of his sons reported him missing, setting off a seven-hour search that ended when his body was found about 100 yards from the couple's home.

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