Karen Eames, the wife of an Onondaga County sheriff's deputy who police said tried to kill her in a murder-suicide in February, pleaded not guilty to a five-count criminal indictment against her.
She is charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and money laundering stemming from February, when her husband, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Issac Eames, shot and killed himself, their son and dog, and shooting Karen Eames in the face and arm, according to authorities.
The district attorney's office alleges he embezzled roughly $529,000 from the County Sheriff's Office's civil division bank account. They also allege Karen Eames was aware and involved in the alleged scheme.
"I understand the county is certainly interested in getting restitution for funds that her husband, Mr. Eames, may have taken," Karen Eames's attorney Michael Vavonese said. "She could never be punished more, and I think everyone will come to that conclusion, than the loss of her son, husband, dog, the physical problems she deals with after being shot in the face and the arm, 75% loss of her arm and the physical and emotional problems she's had."
Karen Eames is due back in court on Dec. 15 for a pretrial conference.