ORANGE – The Athol couple indicted on a murder count connected with last year’s home invasion and killing of Thomas A. Harty have been indicted by a Franklin Superior Court Grand Jury in connection to the death of Harty’s wife, Joanna Fisher.
Joshua Hart, 24, and Brittany Smith, 28, are expected to soon be arraigned on the additional murder charge in Franklin Superior Court in Greenfield. Fisher did not die during the Oct. 5 attack, but the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined her death on Nov. 10 stemmed from the assault.
According to Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, the combined charges both will face include: two counts of murder, two counts of home invasion (one naming each victim), two counts of armed robbery (one naming each victim), conspiracy, larceny over $250, larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, and unauthorized use of a credit card.
Hart and Smith also face charges in connection with earlier incidents, including breaking and entering and larceny over $250. If convicted of murder in the first degree, the defendants face a mandatory sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole.