Home Scandal and Gossip Chemung County student, 21, indicted for dismembering, torturing & killing man

Chemung County student, 21, indicted for dismembering, torturing & killing man

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Chemung County NY man indicted dismembering killing man
Thomas Bovaird Elmira Chemung County NY man indicted dismembering killing man.
Chemung County NY man indicted dismembering killing man
Thomas Bovaird Elmira Chemung County NY man indicted dismembering killing man.

Thomas Bovaird Elmira Chemung County NY man indicted dismembering killing man. Victim’s body dumped in PA. No known motive. 

An Upstate New York man has been arrested after being indicted in the mutilation, dismemberment and killing of a man he allegedly kidnapped earlier this year. 

Thomas E. Bovaird of Horseheads, Chemung County, allegedly shot Juan Jose Gotay, before causing traumatic injuries to him. Bovaird allegedly bound Gotay with electrical cord after mutilating parts of his body, including cutting off his tongue, burning his ears and buttocks as well as cutting up his eyes before leaving the man to die over the border in Pennsylvania.

According to a grand indictment, cited by WETM-TV, Gotay of Elmira, was murdered sometime on the 29th or 30th of January, 2021. Police recovered Gotay’s body from Ulysses Township, Potter County in Pennsylvania in April.

It remained unclear if Gotay was already dead or how long he had been lifeless when he was transported to Pennsylvania.

Cited in the complaint was Bovaird, 21 and ‘unknown associates’. 

Used pointed instrument that caused egregious injuries

The indictment states Bovaird using a ‘pointed instrument’ on Gotay’s eyes that ’caused injuries to his jaw, mouth, and teeth’. 

Bovaird is facing a slew of charges, including first-degree murder and kidnapping in the first degree, two counts of assault in the first degree, and two counts of assault in the second degree. 

It wasn’t clear what his relationship to the victim was, if any, or if there was a stated motive in the egregious crime.

Top employee for the past 8 months

In May, WETM-TV had reported of New York State Police investigating two homes on Patridge Street and West Avenue in Elmira, which is in Chemung County in New York’s southern tier.

That investigation, which appears to be related to Bovaird’s indictment, included neighbors saying they saw investigators digging in the backyard of the home on West Avenue. Cops took a bag from the home, according to the station.

A regard of Bovaird’s Linkldn profile describes him as being as student of NY’s Corning Community College. No mention of what he studied was noted.

In the about section, Bovaird states working for Panera bread, in which he describes himself as the ‘top employee’ of the brand for the past eight months. ‘I currently attend Corning Community College and will switch the Buffalo State for my Masters’ degree. I have sales experience, I have great communication skills, very friendly and helpful to customers. I prep food, serve food, stock the walk-in and freezer on Thursday and Friday nights. I have a great work ethic and I’m an honest worker.’ 

Bovaird is currently in custody at Chemung County Jail without bail.

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