Rance Freeman

A Mayville man has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection to a decade-old homicide case.

Rance “Randy” Freeman Jr. entered the plea to the class B felony on Thursday in Chautauqua County Court before Judge Susan M. Eagan. Freeman had been indicted in November 2018 on two counts of second-degree murder for his part in the November 2008 killing of Westfield resident Jeffrey Johnson.

Freeman, 32, is being represented by attorney Lyle Hajdu, who did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday. The Mayville man has remained jailed on $500,000 cash bail since his arraignment in late 2018.

Jury selection in the case was scheduled to begin March 17.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson said he was pleased with the guilty verdict. “The Sheriff’s Department did a good job piecing this back together,” he said.

The district attorney said he would comment further on the case following sentencing May 12 before Judge Eagan.

Johnson was 55 years old when he was found dead Nov. 8, 2008, inside his 7801 Main St. home in Westfield. The Westfield Police Department, Sheriff’s Office and Chautauqua County Forensic Investigation Team responded and began an investigation.