Metro

Wife-slay EMT got 800G: DA

Paul Novak made almost $800,000 in insurance after he killed his wife in an arson fire, prosecutors allege.

The paramedic and Scott Sherwood, his then-partner at Jamaica Hospital, were indicted last week for “acting in concert” in the murder of Catherine Novak, 41, in upstate Narrowsburg.

The couple was divorcing when a fire gutted her house on Dec. 13, 2008. He had picked up their kids the day before and taken them to his Long Island home.

The body was found in the basement. Debris on her chest had left her unable to breathe, an autopsy showed.

A two-month probe found no evidence of arson or murder, but suspicions lingered — and Novak and Sherwood were arrested last month, four years later.

Novak, 45, killed his wife while burglarizing the house, then set the fire, according to court papers prosecutors filed last week.

He received $333,556.68 from her homeowner’s policy and $257,044.21 and $194,214.10 from two life-insurance policies, claiming the death was an accident.

Novak, who bought a $359,900 Palm Coast, Fla., house and moved there in 2009, is charged with first-degree murder, arson, burglary, grand larceny and insurance fraud.

Sherwood, 40, of Lindenhurst, LI, is charged with second-degree murder, arson and burglary.