Authorities have filed a third murder charge in connection with the death of a Farmington woman whose case was initially believed to be a drug overdose but later determined to involve robbery and theft.
Victoria Nicole Vitale, 32, was discovered dead Feb. 22, 2024 at a home on Terry Drive in the Town of Farmington. As the investigation progressed, New York State Police in Canandaigua concluded the circumstances were more serious than first suspected.
A grand jury later indicted Michael John Wade, 43, of Wolcott Spring Lake Road in the Town of Savannah, along with Jaime E. Thompson, 29, of Geneva. Investigators alleged the pair stole Vitale’s vehicle along with her Chase and Discover bank cards and a public benefits card.
During a search warrant executed at Wade’s residence, troopers found credit cards belonging to Vitale hidden beneath floorboards. Wade was subsequently charged Dec. 16, 2025 with second-degree murder and multiple counts tied to the theft and use of the victim’s property.
The investigation continued and on Feb. 6, 2026, authorities added Rochester resident Shakeitha Keathette Scott, 39, to the case. Initially arrested on theft-related charges, she was later charged with second-degree felony murder as well as second-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, grand larceny involving stolen credit cards, and criminal possession of stolen property.
Scott was taken to the Ontario County Jail and held without bail, the same status as Wade and Thompson.
While incarcerated, Wade was again charged Jan. 31, 2026 as a co-conspirator in a separate case involving alleged possession of a controlled substance after jail staff gathered intelligence about methamphetamine being smuggled into the facility and distributed among inmates.
Court dates for Wade, Thompson, and Scott had not been scheduled as of the latest update.
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