False Double Homicide Report Leads to Arrest in Oneida

A report of a double homicide in the City of Oneida Tuesday night prompted a large police response, but investigators say the call turned out to be completely false.

Officers were dispatched around 7:50 p.m. on April 8 to a residence after receiving information that two people had been killed. Police arrived quickly and began checking the home, searching for victims and looking for any signs that a violent crime had taken place.

They didn’t find any.

After clearing the scene, officers continued the investigation and located the two individuals who were reported as victims. Both were alive and safe, and told police they had not been in Oneida at any point that day.

That shifted the focus of the case.

Police say 55-year-old Robert Harp was identified as the person who made the false report. He was taken into custody and charged with falsely reporting an incident in the third degree. During a search following his arrest, officers say they also found a quantity of methamphetamine, leading to an additional charge of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Read More: Griffo Wants Answers Over How The State Awards Renewable Energy Contracts

Oneida Police Chief Steven Lowell said calls like this create real problems for emergency responders.

“False reports of this nature place an unnecessary burden on law enforcement resources and divert critical attention away from legitimate emergencies,” Lowell said. He added that officers handled the situation quickly and thoroughly to ensure there was no danger to the public.

The chief also pointed to the department’s ongoing work with community partners to address issues before they escalate, while continuing to share timely updates through the city’s website, mobile app, and social media platforms.

Police are reminding the public that falsely reporting an incident is a criminal offense and will be prosecuted.