Under tight security, suspect arraigned

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

Brice Rivenburgh, the man now accused of killing a Rotterdam mother and daughter, was arraigned this morning in Schenectady County court under extra security.

Rivenburgh, 28, of Oaklawn Avenue in Rotterdam, has been indicted on 26 separate counts, including first-degree murder in the deaths earlier this month of Tammy McCormack and her 22-year-old daughter Jessica at the McCormack’s Inner Drive home.

Rivenburgh appeared with his attorney, Sven Paul, before Schenectady County Court Judge Karen Drago and pleaded not guilty to the entire indictment against him.

Drago also ordered that Rivenburgh continue to be held without bail.

Rivenburgh is accused of killing the two sometime late April 9 or early April 10 at their home.

Rivenburgh had an on-again, off-again relationship with Jessica McCormack. Authorities believe something happened in that relationship prior to the killings that angered Rivenburgh.

April 24: Murder, rape charged in Rotterdam deaths.

Rivenburgh faces a horrific list of counts, including first-degree murder, as well as top counts of rape, burglary and robbery.

The first-degree rape charge is for accusations that Rivenburgh raped his one-time girlfriend Jessica McCormack before killing her.

Rivenburgh is also accused of re-entering the home twice more, the third and final time to set a fire, intending to destroy the crime scene, authorities said.

Rivenburgh allegedly set the fire minutes before a McCormack family member summoned authorities, who discovered the bodies and the fire. The fire was doused before it could spread.

Tammy McCormack was a mother of three who has been described as someone who was kind to everyone. Jessica McCormack was a young woman who loved swimming and music and looked forward to a career in dental hygiene, according to friends and family.