Murder suspects expected in Barre court today
Toolbox
By Daphne Larkin Times Argus Staff - Published: September 29, 2006
BARRE – Two more men have been arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping and beating death of a 33-year-old Barre man, as police continue to track down those involved in the brutal May murder and more details emerge.
Three Barre teens were arraigned Tuesday for their role in the kidnapping of James Saunders, 33, whose body was found in a shallow grave Tuesday.
Police arrested two men in North Carolina Wednesday on numerous charges for the murder of Saunders and said Thursday the suspects have waived extradition and will be returned to Vermont to face charges.
On Thursday, police announced additional arrests. They said Aaron Bassett, 28, formerly of Enfield, N.H., was arrested late Wednesday night in Hernando County, Fla., by authorities from the Hernando County Sheriff's office.
"Bassett will appear in court in Florida later today on the charge of being a fugitive from Vermont on the outstanding warrant," according to a state police press release.
Bassett is charged in Vermont with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and attempted assault and robbery.
Also Thursday, Jonathan Whalley, the Northfield man who told police where to find Saunders' body, was arraigned in Vermont District Court in Barre where he faced charges of "accessory after the fact in the commission of a felony," State's Attorney Craig Nolan said, for aiding in the cover up of the alleged murder.
According to Nolan, Whalley was released on conditions set by the court and a $10,000 unsecured appearance bond. According to the police affidavit, Whalley decided to tip off police to the alleged crime because he is dying of cancer and going through a divorce and "wants to clear this before he dies."
State police said Leodor Rousseau, 33, and Joshua Darling, 21, the two men charged in the murder of Saunders because he allegedly stole some drugs, were on their way to Vermont Thursday evening to face arraignment in court Friday in Barre.
The pair face charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and attempted assault and robbery.
The three teens, Melinda M. Pike, 17, Nathaniel B. Masi, 15, and Shawn T. Fordham, 14, all of Barre, were charged with kidnapping. Their role was to lure Saunders into the car on the pretense of buying drugs, police allege.
Thursday's police actions bring the number of arrests in the case to seven: four adults and the three Barre juveniles. But police affidavits indicate some loose ends remain, and they paint a gruesome picture of the events that led to Saunders beating death.
Nolan declined to comment on whether Rousseau's girlfriend, Jamelyn (last name unknown), will be arrested in connection with the case. Details from the police affidavit mention her name in a report by Detective Sergeant Kirk Cooper of the Vermont state police, Melinda Pike — one of the juveniles who were charged with luring Saunders into the car where he was beaten — indicated Rousseau's wife knew of the crime. Wrote Kirk: "According to Pike, while she was staying with Kahoona (Rousseau), his girlfriend Jamelyn told her they broke James's (Saunders) back, burned the cell phone and all his clothes, and pulled James's hair out because of him pulling her (Pike's) hair."
According to police, Rousseau, his family and the other man charged in the alleged murder, Joshua Darling, were living in the home in Vershire for the past three years. The home was rented under Rousseau's name until the alleged murder, at which point they moved to Troy, N.C.
The affidavit which describes Whalley's account of the events also mentions a man named "Chris." Whalley said Chris brought a gun and rode with him for a while during the drive from Barre to Vershire following the van in which Saunders was beaten. So far, authorities have not mentioned anyone named Chris in connection with this case.
"At one point during the trip he saw that the vehicle was swerving and he, (Whalley) thought there was some sort of struggle inside the vehicle," according to the affidavit.
According to Whalley's account, the two vehicles pulled over near Roland's Market in East Barre as they were heading to Vershire. "Whalley said that the people inside the vehicle got out and when he walked up to the vehicle he saw that the inside of the vehicle was covered with blood and the two teenage boys got out of the vehicle and ran off. The female had blood on her and she took off her shirt and was given one that was cleaner and Kahoona gave her money for a cab and told her not to tell anyone about what had happened."
When the two vehicles arrived at the Vershire residence, everyone got out of the cars, Saunders was hog-tied and bloody and Whalley said Rousseau started rapping, as in singing, at which point Saunders was placed somewhere and covered with Christmas trees.
Whalley also told police that Rousseau told him he had two holes dug and Rousseau said: "'We always keep a couple dug just in case (expletives) want to play games…I'd kill a (expletive) over five dollars.'" Whalley told police that Rousseau threatened his family if he told what had happened.
According to Whalley, Rousseau considers Darling his "brother."
Barre City's Detective Brent Curtis, who interviewed Saunders' live-in girlfriend, Ceire Lennox, said Saunders "had a bad reputation for 'ripping off' people in drug deals."