Man charged with helping fiancee cover up grisly murders

naed to testify as a witness.

According to the statement of facts in Charlene's trial, reported by the Telegraph-journal newspaper, Charlene, along with her nephew Jonathan Finnamore, lured Shannon, an alcoholic, into the woods near Bath, N.B., by offering him booze.

Finnamore beat his father-in-law to death in the woods, and the pair shoved his body into a shallow grave and set it on fire.

Burning the body was Robert's idea, the Crown alleged.

Later, Charlene and Jonathan began to suspect Shannon's daughter-inlaw, Jessie Joe Finnamore, was going to tell police what they'd done. Jessie Joe had aided in the murder by distracting her mother so Charlene and Jonathan could get Shannon out of the house.

Charlene, Jonathan and Jessie Joe drove out to the woods, where Jessie Joe was bound with duct tape and tossed in a shallow grave.

Charlene crawled into the grave on top of her niece and slit her throat.

"I picked up the knife, I climbed down into the hole, I told Jessie I loved her and I cut her throat," Charlene testified.

Charlene has since been convicted of second-degree murder in both cases. Jonathan Finnamore is serving time for the second-degree murder of Shannon. Robert is due in court on Jan. 10. The investigation into Jessie Joe's murder is ongoing, police said.

"Police believe another person or people may have been involved in her death," Const. Chantal Farrah said.