Paroled man charged in motel death of Farmington man found in Geneva
Deputies traced Emmanuel Richelieu’s phone to a Geneva motel, then found his body in Room 118 as a parolee tied to the room was later charged with murder.
A Farmington man was found dead in a Geneva motel room after deputies traced his phone to the property and searched with drones and a bloodhound, a case that has now led to a murder charge against the man who rented the room.
Emmanuel Richelieu, 37, of Farmington in Ontario County, was found Saturday, April 18, 2026, inside Room 118 at the America’s Best Value Inn on Route 5&20 in Geneva. The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office said Richelieu’s brother reported him missing around 11 p.m. Friday after not hearing from him for two days, then used a phone-tracking app that showed Richelieu’s phone at the motel property.
Deputies found the phone on-site before locating Richelieu’s body. The search involved deputies, drones and a sheriff’s office bloodhound, which alerted investigators to Room 118. Sheriff David Cirencione said Richelieu had significant trauma to his body. The body was sent to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
The room was registered to Julius Ware IV, 29, who authorities initially sought as a person of interest and asked to contact investigators. Ware was later arrested Sunday, April 20, 2026, and charged with second-degree murder. Deputies said he intentionally caused Richelieu’s death. He was held in the Ontario County Jail without bail after arraignment.
New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision records show Ware had been released to parole supervision on April 9, 2026, after serving a robbery sentence. He was assigned to Rochester’s Department of Corrections office. That parole timeline has added another layer to the case, with investigators now working alongside Geneva Police, New York State Police and New York State Parole.
The sheriff’s office has continued asking for tips as detectives reconstruct the final hours before Richelieu was found dead in the motel room. Anyone with information can call 315-626-8367 or 800-394-4560, or submit a tip through the OntarioSheriff NY mobile app.
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