37°
Her attorney, Richard A. Portale, said that she will appear before the judge at 10 a.m. for sentencing on a lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide under an agreement Graswald made with the Orange County District Attorney's Office in July.
Under the agreement, the 37-year-old Graswald, of Poughkeepsie, is expected to receive from 15 months to four years in prison. But Portale said that taking into account the time she has spent in jail, she expects to be out of jail by the end of the year.
Graswald, a native of Latvia, was arrested after 46-year-old Vincent Viafore disappeared on April 19, 2015, in the Hudson River while they were kayaking near Bannerman Island.
Graswald, who reported him missing to Orange County 911, was accused of removing a plug from the boat and knew that a locking clip that kept the paddle in place was missing.
Viafore, who was not wearing a life jacket or a wetsuit, fell into the water. Graswald, who told authorities she couldn't find him, returned to shore. His body was located on May 23, 2015, floating in the Hudson River.
In the days after his disappearance, Graswald is reported to have acted strangely happy, singing “Hotel California” at a local bar and posting selfies and a video of herself doing a cartwheel. Prosecutors said she had tampered with the kayak in an effort to claim a $250,000 life insurance policy.
Since the plea agreement, Graswald has said she will not try to collect the insurance money.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Poughkeepsie and receive free news updates.
