BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — Convicted murderer Andy McCauley chose not to speak Thursday when he was sentenced for killing Berkeley Springs teenager Riley Crossman in 2019.
McCauley, 43, was convicted on the charge of first degree murder with no mercy. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole for murdering the 15-year-old Crossman.
23rd Judicial Court Judge Debra McLaughlin told McCauley that his silence has left many to conjecture what happened on that May night in 2019. She characterized his actions as ‘heinous,’ saying, “It defies logic why anyone would kill an innocent 15-year-old girl.”
During the victim impact portion of the sentencing hearing, Riley’s mother Chantel Oakley read a statement that said in part there was no punishment for the defendant that would ultimately satisfy her, saying she hoped he’d “never see the light of day.”
Oakley said her daughter was “the most amazing person anyone could know,” She condemned McCauley for “throwing her away like a piece of trash.”
“He left her there for nine days as we agonized … watching our misery, our torment,” Oakley said. “He’s the only one who can tell us what happened to our daughter.”
“Because of what he did,” Oakley said, recounting the milestones Riley’s family will miss because she’s gone, from this year’s graduation to seeing her marry and have a family of her own. “We didn’t even get to give her a kiss on the forehead or say goodbye.”
Judge McLaughlin was emotional from the bench as she apologized to Oakley and her remaining children. for any difficulties caused by the presence of Court TV, which broadcast the trial as it was happening and opened the details of the case up to a worldwide audience. McLaughlin acknowledged it ‘contributed to the chatter’ on social media.
Morgan County Prosecutor Dan James addressed other rumors that had run through the community that hinted the defendant hadn’t acted alone or that the victim’s mother was involved.
“There is absolutely no evidence that anyone else was involved in this crime,“ James told the court. “There is no evidence that (Oakley) was involved,” James said, indicating that the speculation from strangers and community members alike was causing trauma to the victim’s siblings.
Of Oakley, James said, “She’ll have to live with it for the rest of her life that she had Andy in her home, but there was no evidence that anyone other than Andy McCauley did this crime.”
During the trial, there were 234 pieces of evidence admitted into the record and investigators from local jurisdictions to the FBI to forensics and DNA specialists testified of their work on the case.
James said speculation that Oakley was contacting the defendant in jail was also untrue. “Chantel has not been to that jail,” he said.
As for the defendant’s state of mind about the crime, James said he saw no remorse. “All Andy is concerned about is his next fix.” James told the court a warrant had been issued for the McCauley’s mother related to an attempt to distribute drugs to him while he was incarcerated.
McCauley was also convicted of concealment of a body and death of a child by a custodian by child abuse. dumped Crossman’s body over an embankment in Berkeley County a little more than a week after she was reported missing.
The trial lasted just over a week and involved 234 pieces of evidence and testimony from about 3 dozen people, including Crossman’s family members, friends, DNA experts, doctors, law enforcement and others.
James said McCauley went into Crossman’s bedroom and suffocated her with a pillow that contained DNA evidence of Crossman’s blood and saliva.
Testimony Thursday, which was not used during the trial, indicated a possible motive. James said Oakley and the mother of McCauley’s children had both brought up the idea that perhaps (McCauley) had gone into Riley Crossman’s bedroom with the idea to sexually assault her.
There was a concern by those who knew McCauley that he had a predisposition to be sexually aggressive when under the influence of drugs, according to James.
Crossman would have been a senior this year at Berkeley Springs High School.
McCauley has 90 days to file an appeal.
