10 people charged with kidnapping, murder of Ithaca man

WSKG | By Vaughn Golden

Published August 28, 2023 at 11:33 PM EDT

Police allege Thomas Rath, 33, of Ithaca was abducted and murdered earlier this year.

Ten people are in custody and charged with felonies related to the kidnap and murder of an Ithaca man, earlier this year.

Authorities allege Thomas Rath, 33, was abducted from one of Ithaca’s homeless encampments in May and murdered. After issuing nearly 40 search warrants, including a large-scale search of a residence in Newfield, Rath’s body was found on Aug. 3, buried deep in the woods on state lands just across the Tioga County border.

Police say Rath's body was found in a shallow grave off of Ekroos Road on state lands along the border of Tompkins and Tioga Counties.

Angelo Baez and Jonathan Glennon, both of Ithaca, have been charged with Rath’s murder.

State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Captain Lucas Anthony said an additional eight people have been charged with Rath’s kidnapping. Glennon also faces kidnapping charges.

"These individuals were all familiar with each other. I wouldn't go as far as saying it was an orchestrated event, but it was an ongoing event from start to finish,” Anthony told reporters.

The following individuals have been charged in connection with the case:

Angelo Baez, age 48 of Ithaca, NY-Murder in the second degree, class “A” felony, Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Jonathan Glennon, age 31 of Ithaca, NY (currently at Androscoggin Jail, Maine)-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Colleen E. Dillon, age 31 of Newfield, NY-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Zayne G. Burlingame, age 30 of Ithaca, NY-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Mark F. Beatty, age 35 of Ithaca, NY-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Robert W. Hines, age 52 of Candor, NY-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Neraida A. Sobrado-Torres, age 43 of Ithaca-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Jack J. Benjamin Jr., age 39 of Ithaca, NY-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Brelynn B. Vorrasi, age 27 of Lodi, NY-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony
Justin M. Knapp, age 36 of Ithaca, NY-Kidnapping in the first degree, class “A” felony

Anthony said additional charges remained pending and more arrests are expected in connection with the case. He declined to allude to any motive that would come up at trial.

The cases will be prosecuted in Tioga County.