Joseph Petrella faces murder, burglary and petit larceny charges after deputies found his mother dead inside their Ewald Drive home.
PENFIELD, N.Y. — A burglary complaint at a Penfield mobile home community led Monroe County sheriff’s deputies to a neighboring residence where they found a 60-year-old woman dead, an investigation that resulted in murder and other charges against her son.
Joseph A. Petrella, 39, of Penfield, was charged with second-degree murder, second-degree burglary and petit larceny in connection with the death of his mother, Amy M. Hogan, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Petrella was arraigned in CAP Court and remanded to the Monroe County Jail without bail. The charges are allegations, and the case has not been resolved in court.
The investigation began about 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, when deputies responded to Ewald Drive for a reported burglary. Authorities said a resident reported that someone had entered a vehicle and a home and that property was missing. Investigators were directed toward Petrella while looking into that complaint.
Chief Deputy Michael Fowler said Petrella spoke with a deputy about the burglary investigation and allowed the deputy into his residence. While the conversation continued inside, the deputy noticed circumstances that raised concern and prompted further investigation. Deputies then discovered Hogan dead inside the home she shared with Petrella.
Authorities secured the residence and brought in the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit. Evidence technicians processed the scene, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant, and a crime victim advocate was called to assist Hogan’s relatives. The Sheriff’s Office later announced Petrella’s arrest and the three charges against him.
Court paperwork cited by local news organizations alleges Hogan was fatally stabbed during a confrontation inside the residence. Fowler said investigators believed she was killed sometime during the weekend before deputies arrived Sunday afternoon. Authorities have not announced a motive and have cautioned that investigators are still working to determine what led to Hogan’s death.
The burglary charge stems from the separate complaint that initially brought deputies to the neighborhood. Authorities said a nearby resident reported that a vehicle and home had been entered and property taken. Investigators reviewing that complaint identified Petrella as a person they wanted to question, setting in motion the encounter that led deputies to his residence.
The Sheriff’s Office initially described Hogan’s death as an isolated incident and said investigators had found no evidence of a broader threat to the community. The case moved from a burglary response to a Major Crimes investigation once Hogan was found inside the neighboring home.
Petrella remained held without bail following his arraignment. The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation was continuing, including efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding Hogan’s death and what happened before deputies arrived on Ewald Drive.
Author note: Last updated September 21, 2026.