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Winners in PSSA contest chosen at Solomon Plains

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They couldn’t go to the circus, so Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey came to them

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Prosecutors on April 22 defended their evidence in support of James Roche&#8217;s double homicide conviction.</p><p>A Luzerne County jury on Nov. 6 found Roche, 33, guilty on two counts of first-degree murder after prosecutors said he and his girlfriend, Holly Ann Crawford, fatally shot Ronald Evans, 73, and his 43-year-old son, Jeffrey Evans, outside the Hunlock Creek residence shared by the father and son.</p><p>Roche, who <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/501986/james-roche-gets-two-life-sentences-for-hunlock-creek-killings" target="_blank">received two consecutive life sentences</a> in the fatal shootings, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/510760/convicted-murderer-james-roche-appeals-sentence" target="_blank">appealed his conviction</a> to the state superior court Feb. 8.</p><p>On April 22, prosecutors said Roche&#8217;s statements to police implicated him in the incident, including a recorded conversation in which he admitted to the killings. Roche, prosecutors also say, knowingly waived his rights and agreed to speak to investigators.</p><p>&#8220;The audio interview was conducted in a conversational tone, and the defendant&#8217;s answers to questions posed were responsive and appropriate,&#8221; prosecutors wrote in the three-page response.</p><p>The evidence, prosecutors say, was &#8220;sufficient and carried enough weight to support Mr. Roche&#8217;s conviction.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">James Roche leaves the Luzerne County Courthouse following his sentencing. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_TTL010916roche.jpg</photo0><caption0>James Roche leaves the Luzerne County Courthouse following his sentencing. </caption0><photoCredit0>Clark Van Orden | Times Leader file </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Prosecutors challenge appeal of convicted double murderer James Roche