CORTLAND, N.Y. — A Fulton woman was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of her mother after an eight-day trial in Cortland County and has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, prosecutors announced.
Ariela Thran, 33, was found guilty by a jury for the December 2023 murder of her mother, Patricia “Allison” Halverson, whose body was discovered on January 3, 2024, near farming equipment at her Solon, N.Y. residence. The body had been exposed to the elements, and the case was initially complex due to the lack of a murder weapon.
Initially Thran tried to pin the murder on a horse. That didn’t seem to gallop right with the jury and the judge.
The investigation, led by New York State Police Troop “C” Major Crimes Unit, spanned three states and several counties. Prosecutors relied heavily on circumstantial and digital evidence to link Thran to the crime.
District Attorney Patrick Perfetti called the conviction “a testament to our system of justice,” and praised Assistant District Attorneys Richard Van Donsel and Zachariah Zallo for leading the prosecution.
“Today’s verdict brought justice for Ms. Halverson, her grandchildren, family, and friends,” ADA Zallo said.
Thran will be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years.