OGDENSBURG, N.Y. -- Could a letter be the key to freeing convicted murderer Wayne Oxley? Oxley's now serving a sentence of 25 to life for the murder of Bernard Trickey, 39, whom police say was beaten to death with a baseball bat in August of 2005.

Oxley was charged with the murder last December, but his lawyer tells News 10 Now that a letter written by a Clinton County inmate could be critical to the case.

Attorney Richard Manning says the letter states that a witness saw other men kill Trickey in his Ogdensburg home, and that Oxley wasn't involved.

Manning says the letter was sent to Judge Jerry Richards, stamped and received by the court chambers, and that it was included in the case file.

But he says prosecutors claim that they can't find the letter.

Manning has requested to see the prosecutors' files, he has two weeks to review the contents.

He's also filed a motion requesting that the judge recuse himself from the case, because the letter was sent to him.

That motion has been adjourned until December.

The district attorney was not available for comment. The defense attorney says that the letter is dated November of last year.