'There's not a sentence long enough...' Irondequoit man gets max for beating death

Sean Lahman and Gary Craig, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
·4 min read

UPDATE (June 15, 2022): An Irondequoit man convicted of fatally beating Brighton businessman Edward "Ted" Boucher last year was sentenced to the maximum prison term on Tuesday in state Supreme Court.

Christopher "C.J." Wernle, 49, who in April was convicted of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence, was sentenced to 26⅓ years to life in prison, said James Nobles, who was a special prosecutor for the case along with Yates County District Attorney Todd Casella.

"The nature of the crime itself was so brutal," Nobles said. "There's not a sentence long enough for that kind of behavior."

Boucher suffered more than 30 blows to his head with a murder weapon that has not been found.

Boucher's son Tim Boucher, who is a prosecutor in the District Attorney's Office, on Tuesday spoke about his father, his philanthropy and his contributions to the Rochester community, including the Geva Theatre.

Boucher, who was 65, previously headed Caldwell Manufacturing Co., a worldwide supplier of window and door manufacturing. He was the fourth generation of the Boucher family to oversee the company, which was founded by William Caldwell and Allen Boucher.

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ORIGINAL STORY (April 29, 2022): An Irondequoit man was found guilty Friday of fatally beating Brighton businessman Edward “Ted” Boucher last May.

A jury found Christopher "C.J." Wernle guilty of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

Police found Boucher's body stuffed under a porch at a home on Helendale Road that prosecutors said was a popular haven of prostitution and rampant drug use.

Women rented rooms from Wernle, the homeowner, and brought clients there for prostitution. Boucher was a frequent visitor through a relationship with one of those women.

More: Prosecutors say Irondequoit man killed Ted Boucher with more than 30 blows to head

More: Woman testifies she and slain businessman Ted Boucher had a six-year relationship

More: Longtime drug dealer alleges Wernle admitted to fatal beating of businessman Ted Boucher

Boucher reportedly paid the woman more than $100,000 over the last year of his life — money which she then used to fund her drug addiction. Boucher's payments were "frequent and extremely substantial," defense lawyer Emily Fusco said in her opening last week.

Special prosecutor Todd Casella maintained in his opening statement that Wernle had grown jealous over the relationship.

Boucher allegedly suffered more than 31 blows to his head with a murder weapon that has not been found.

Casella highlighted the evidence police had compiled against Wernle. Among the allegations:

  • A jacket found in Wernle's home, and known to be Wernle's, had Boucher's blood on it.

  • One of Boucher's hearing aids was found in the trash in Wernle's home and another in the driveway.

  • Police claim that Wernle tried to lead them away from searching under the porch when they questioned him on May 15, 2021, the day after Boucher disappeared and the day Boucher's body was found.

  • Longtime drug dealer Jason Siplin knows Wernle from selling him drugs and was also in jail with Wernle in May 2021. Siplin, now accused of a role in a drug trafficking network, testified that Wernle admitted to the homicide and gave details only known to the police. Wernle allegedly told Siplin that he asked Boucher for money and, when Boucher refused, "he killed him."

Boucher's son is a prosecutor in the District Attorney's Office. Wernle is being prosecuted by two special prosecutors from outside the office — local defense lawyer James Nobles, who previously worked as a prosecutor, and Yates County District Attorney Casella.

In her opening, Fusco noted the frequent traffic of prostitutes and drug users at the Irondequoit house. She urged the jury not to jump to conclusions "simply because C.J. lived in and owned that house and was a major drug user."

Fusco also told the jury that any testimony from Siplin could be impacted by his hopes to get a deal with the drug charges he now faces.

Wernle's defense team called no witnesses. The jury began deliberations Friday morning and delivered their verdict by noon.He will be sentenced next month by State Supreme Court Justice Judith A. Sinclair.

Contact staff reporter Sean Lahman at slahman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @seanlahman.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Christopher "CJ" Wernle sentenced in murder of Ted Boucher