SKOWHEGAN — A Skowhegan woman charged as a conspirator and accomplice to murder in New Hampshire waived extradition Wednesday to face charges in that state.

Michele D. Corson, 43, appearing in shackles in Skowhegan District Court and wearing an orange jailhouse jump suit, told Deputy Chief Judge Robert E. Mullen she understood that signing the extradition papers meant she agreed to be taken to New Hampshire.

Her court-appointed attorney, Philip Mohlar, said New Hampshire officials “represented that they will be up here to get her in a matter of days, which is good because she needs to get down there to get working on her defense.”

If Corson had objected to the extradition process, New Hampshire authorities would have had to obtain a warrant from that state’s governor to bring her back.

The so-called governor’s warrant would have been served on Corson by New Hampshire authorities at the Somerset County Jail, where she is being held.

She is accused of involvement in the death of Amanda “Amy” Warf, 36, of New Hampshire, in March.
Warf was the former wife of Corson’s brother, Aaron Desjardins, 36, of Epping, N.H., who is charged with Warf’s murder.

Warf was found dead March 7 with a slit throat at an abandoned cement factory in Exeter, N.H. Authorities said she was killed at the plant.

Also charged in the homicide is Sarah Desjardins, Aaron Desjardins’ current wife, who is being accused of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Aaron Desjardins, in an interview with the New Hampshire Union Leader two days before his arrest last month, denied that he killed Warf. At the time of the slaying, Warf lived in in Hampton, N.H., with her boyfriend, according to the report.

Corson was ordered held without bail Wednesday pending the arrival of authorities from New Hampshire. She has not entered a plea on the charges in New Hampshire, but plans to do so once she appears in court there, according to Mohlar.

Corson was arrested April 17 at her home in Skowhegan on a fugitive-from-justice warrant.
Mohlar said that charge is simply a holding mechanism to keep her in custody until New Hampshire officials pick her up.

Mohlar said Corson has not discussed with him the charges against her. He said Corson does not have a lawyer in New Hampshire, which is another reason for her to get there soon. “I told her she needs to get down there sooner rather than later to start working on her defense, and she is anxious to do that,” he said.

New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Susan Morrell said being an accomplice to first-degree murder is a felony crime punishable by life in prison without parole. The conspiracy charge is a felony, punishable by 15 to 30 years in prison, she said.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com