Kakavelos found guilty in murder trial
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10)---After six weeks, the trial has come to an end. After two days of deliberations, Georgios Kakavelos has been found guilty of all charges in connection to the death of 22-year old Allyzibeth Lamont.
Not only has he been charged with first degree murder and second-degree conspiracy, but also concealment of a human corpse, and tampering with physical evidence.
"We had a jury that worked diligently and hard going over 600 pieces of evidence and brought back a verdict today that I think serves in the interest of justice," said Karen Heggen, Saratoga County District Attorney.
Back on October 28, 2019, Allyzibeth Lamont's body was found in a shallow grave near Exit 13 on the Northway. Her cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force trauma to the head. Prosecutors proved to the jury that Kakavelos was the master mind in this murder-for-hire plot to have her killed.
Kakavelos owned the Johnstown Deli where Lamont worked, and James Duffy was the manager. Duffy already pleaded guilty to killing 22-year-old Lamont with a baseball bat.
The defense painted a picture that Duffy forced Kakavelos to aide in her murder, and that he was only doing it to protect his family. The prosecution pointed to video evidence that disproved this account and pushed Duffy's account of the murder in which he said Kakavelos not only hired him, but he also covered her head while Duffy killed her.
"James Duffy took a plea just a couple weeks earlier, and it definitely helped out case. There’s no doubt about it," explained Alan Poremba, lead prosecutor.
The prosecution said the entire plot revolved around Lamont filing a state labor complaint against Kakavelos over a wage dispute. His attorney spoke to News 10 after the trial.
"Anytime I lose a trial I am disappointed with that," stated defense attorney, Kevin O'Brein. "I wonder what could have gone differently if we had done something’s differently."
O'Brien said overall, this was a fair trial. Kakavelos will be sentenced in August and faces up to life without the possibility of parole.