KEENE — Armando Barron, the Jaffrey man accused of murdering the man his wife was flirting with and then forcing her to cut off his head, now claims his wife committed the gruesome 2020 murder.
“The wrong person is on trial for the murder of Jonathan Amerault,” said Morgan Taggart-Hampton, one of Armando Barron’s attorneys, during Tuesday’s opening arguments in his first-degree murder trial.
kAmpC>2?5@ q2CC@?’D 5676?D6 E@ 3=2>6 9:D H:76[ qC:E2?J q2CC@?[ 7@C E96 <:==:?8 4@>6D H:E9 9:D 25>:EE:?8 E@ 2DD2F=E:?8 9:D H:76 2?5 p>6C2F=E 5FC:?8 E96 $6AE] `h[ a_a_[ @C562= :? #:?586] %2882CE\w2>AE@? 244FD65 qC:E2?J q2CC@? @7 <:==:?8 p>6C2F=E 27E6C D96 H2D D6G6C6=J 362E6? 3J 96C 9FD32?5]k^Am
kAmpDD:DE2?E pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= $4@EE r92D6 AFE E96 3=2>6 7@C p>6C2F=E’D >FC56C DBF2C6=J @? pC>2?5@ q2CC@?] w6 D9@H65 E96 ;FCJ A9@E@D @7 qC:E2?J q2CC@?’D 3=@@5:65 2?5 3CF:D65 7246[ )\C2J :>286D @7 p>6C2F=E’D D<F== D9@H:?8 E96 3F==6ED =@5865 E96C6[ 2?5 pC>2?5@ q2CC@?’D A@=:46 3@@<:?8 A9@E@] pC>2?5@ q2CC@? 5:5 ?@E 92G6 2?J >2C< @C D4C2E49 H96? 96 H2D 2CC6DE65[ r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%96 A9@E@D E6== J@F H9@ H2D 362E[ 2?5 H9@ H2D 5@:?8 E96 362E:?8] %9:D :D 23@FE E96 5676?52?E’D C286] %9:D :D 23@FE 9:D ;62=@FDJ] %9:D :D 23@FE 9:D 4@?EC@=[” r92D6 D2:5] “w6 >2?:AF=2E65 9:D H:76 :?E@ 5@:?8 F?DA62<23=6 E9:?8D]”k^Am
kAm%96 EC:2= :D 6IA64E65 E@ 8@ E9C@F89 E@ ?6IE H66< 2?5 AC@D64FE@CD H:== 36 AC6D6?E:?8 6G:56?46 2?5 H:E?6DD6D :? E96 42D6[ :?4=F5:?8 qC:E2?J q2CC@?]k^Am
kAm“$96 D2H H92E 92AA6?65[ D96 76=E H92E 92AA6?65 E92E ?:89E[” r92D6 D2:5] “%96 5676?52?E <:==65 E96 @?=J @E96C A6CD@?[ E96 A6CD@? 96 <?6H 96 4@F=5?’E >2?:AF=2E6[ E96 A6CD@? 96 <?6H 96 4@F=5?’E 4@?EC@=]”k^Am
kAm%2882CE\w2>AE@? D2:5 qC:E2?J q2CC@?’D E6DE:>@?J :D E2:?E65 3J 96C A=62 28C66>6?E E92E 2=C625J 92D 96C @FE @? E96 DEC66E[ 2?5 :E H:== 36 4@?EC25:4E65 3J E96 A9JD:42= 6G:56?46 :? E96 42D6]k^Am
kAm“w6C 4=2:>D 2C6 36J@?5 36=:67[” %2882CE\w2>AE@? D2:5]k^Am
kAm%F6D52J’D EC:2= DE2CE65 H:E9 2 ;FCJ G:6H @7 =@42E:@?D :? y277C6Ji E96 ?6:893@C9@@5 5@H?E@H? ?62C E96 q2CC@?D’ 9@>6j E96 %6=67=6I |65:42= 3F:=5:?8 H96C6 qC:E2?J q2CC@? 2?5 p>6C2F=E 3@E9 H@C<65j 2?5 E96 H@@5D :? p??6EE (2JD:56 !2C< H96C6 p>6C2F=E H2D E@CEFC65 2?5 >FC56C65] pC>2?5@ q2CC@? 244@>A2?:65 E96 ;FC@CD 2?5 2EE@C?6JD 5FC:?8 E96 G:6HD :? y277C6J 2?5 #:?586 367@C6 E96 @A6?:?8 2C8F>6?ED DE2CE65 2E E96 r96D9:C6 $FA6C:@C r@FCE :? z66?6]k^Am
kAmy@?2E92? p>6C2F=E H2D 2 DF446DD7F= 6?8:?66C 2E E96 3:@>65:42= 4@>A2?J[ 2?5 qC:E2?J q2CC@? H2D 2 AC@5F4E:@? =:?6 H@C<6C H96? E96J DE2CE65 2 7=:CE:?8[ E6IE:?8 C6=2E:@?D9:A] w6 H2D =@?6=J 2?5 =@@<:?8 7@C 2 C6=2E:@?D9:A[ 2?5 D96 H2D ECJ:?8 E@ 86E @FE @7 96C 23FD:G6 >2CC:286[ 244@C5:?8 E@ r92D6] %96 C6=2E:@?D9:A H2D ;FDE 86EE:?8 DE2CE65 367@C6 E96 >FC56C[ 2?5 E96 4@FA=6 925 <:DD65 EH:46]k^Am
kAm“%9@D6 EH@ <:DD6D D6E :? >@E:@? F?:>28:?23=6 4C:>6D[” r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAm~? $6AE] `h pC>2?5@ q2CC@? 5:D4@G6C65 E96 E6IE >6DD286D[ D6?E E96:C J@F?8 52F89E6CD ?6IE 5@@C E@ E96:C 8C2?5A2C6?ED[ 2?5 E96? D2G286=J 362E qC:E2?J] pE @?6 A@:?E 96 AFE 2 =@2565 ]cd 42=:36C C6G@=G6C :? 96C >@FE9 2?5 E9C62E6?65 E@ <:== 96C[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“w6 2EE24<65 qC:E2?J H:E9@FE 96D:E2E:@? 2?5 H:E9@FE >6C4J[” r92D6 D2:5] “w6 D9@G65 E96 8F? :?E@ 96C >@FE9 2?5 E@=5 96C[ ‘*@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ 5:6]’”k^Am
kAmpC>2?5@ q2CC@? E96? E@=5 9:D H:76 E@ 86E :?E@ 9:D y66A H:E9 9:>[ @C E96:C J@F?8 52F89E6CD H@F=5 “D66 D@>6E9:?8 ?2DEJ @C >6DDJ[” r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 E96 5C:G6 E@ p??6EE (2JD:56 !2C< :? #:?586[ pC>2?5@ q2CC@? C625 9:D H:76’D E6IED 2?5 2D<65 23@FE p>6C2F=E[ 9:EE:?8 96C :7 96 5:5?’E =:<6 E96 2?DH6CD[ r92D6 D2:5] sFC:?8 E96 5C:G6 96 3C@<6 96C ?@D6 2?5 3=@@5 8FD965 @FE[ r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmpC>2?5@ q2CC@? FD65 9:D H:76’D A9@?6 E@ =FC6 p>6C2F=E E@ E96 A2C<[ 2?5 E96? 23FD65 p>6C2F=E H96? 96 8@E E@ E96 H@@5D 2C@F?5 ``ic_ A]>] pE 8F?A@:?E[ pC>2?5@ q2CC@? 362E 2?5 DE@>A65 p>6C2F=E[ =62G:?8 D9@6 :>AC6DD:@?D @? 9:D 9625 E92E H@F=5 36 G:D:3=6 DE:== 52JD =2E6C 5FC:?8 E96 2FE@ADJ[ r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“qFE A2:? H2D?’E 6?@F89] w6 H2D 8@:?8 E@ E6CC@C:K6 3@E9 @7 E96>[” r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmpC>2?5@ q2CC@? @C56C65 9:D H:76 7:CDE E@ DE6A @? p>6C2F=E’D ?64< E@ DEC2?8=6 9:>[ E96? @C56C65 96C E@ D9@@E p>6C2F=E[ 2?5 7:?2==J 7@C465 96C E@ 4FE p>6C2F=E’D HC:DED[ r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 E96 @C562=[ p>6C2F=E 368865 7@C 9:D =:76[ 3FE pC>2?5@ q2CC@? >@4<65 9:>[ r92D6 D2:5] pE @?6 A@:?E 5FC:?8 E92E ?:89E[ pC>2?5@ q2CC@? =67E qC:E2?J q2CC@? :? E96 7C@?E D62E @7 p>6C2F=E’D 42C[ H9:=6 p>6C2F=E H2D :? E96 324<] p>6C2F=E ?@E:465 E96 >2496E6 :? E96 42C 2?5 368865 qC:E2?J q2CC@? E@ FD6 :E[ 3FE D96 D2:5 ?@]k^Am
kAm“p7E6C 6G6CJE9:?8 D96’5 D66? 27E6C 6G6CJE9:?8 96 925 5@?6 E@ E96>[ D96 <?6H WpC>2?5@ q2CC@?X H2D :? 4@?EC@=[” r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmpC>2?5@ q2CC@? E96? 8@E :?E@ E96 42C 2?5 D9@E p>6C2F=E E9C66 E:>6D] w6 E96? 7@C465 9:D H:76 E@ 5C:G6 p>6C2F=E’D 42C E@ E96:C |2:? $EC66E 9@>6 :? y277C6J 2?5 A24< 42>A:?8 DFAA=:6D]k^Am
kAm $96 E@=5 :?G6DE:82E@CD D96 4@F=5 962C p>6C2F=E >@2?:?8 7C@> E96 324< @7 9:D 42C[ 3FE E92E 6G6?EF2==J DE@AA65]k^Am
kAmpC>2?5@ q2CC@? E96? 925 9:D H:76 7@==@H 9:> E@ E96 C6>@E6 42>AD:E6 :? pE<:?D@? v:=>2?E@? p4256>J vC2?E :? r@@D r@F?EJ[ D@>6 @7 E96 >@DE C6>@E6 H@@5D :? E96 DE2E6]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 E9@D6 9@FCD=@?8 5C:G6 96 925 96C DA62< E@ 9:> H:E9 96C 46==A9@?6] %96J DE@AA65 2E 2 DE@C6 :? tCC@= H96C6 pC>2?5@ q2CC@? 3@F89E E2CAD[ D9@G6=D[ 3=6249 2?5 @E96C 4=62?:?8 DFAA=:6D]k^Am
kAmpE E96 42>AD:E6 pC>2?5@ q2CC@? 7@C465 9:D H:76 E@ 56DEC@J 6G:56?46 367@C6 96 7@C465 96C E@ 4FE @77 p>6C2F=E’D 9625]k^Am
kAm“w6 H2E4965 96C 2D D96 5:5 :E E@ >2<6 DFC6 D96 4@>A=:65] %92E H2D E96 F=E:>2E6 D9@H @7 4@?EC@=[” r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmpC>2?5@ q2CC@? =67E 9:D H:76 :? E96 H@@5D H:E9 2 8F? 2?5 2 =:DE @7 E2D<D E@ 96=A 4@G6C FA E96 >FC56C[ r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmq62C 9F?E6CD[ 7CFDEC2E65 E92E qC:E2?J q2CC@? H2D 42>A:?8 4=@D6 E@ E96:C 9F?E:?8 D:E6[ 4@?E24E65 u:D9 2?5 v2>6 @77:46CD] ~? $6AE] aa[ a_a_[ E96 u:D9 2?5 v2>6 @77:46C 7@F?5 96C 2E E96 42>A] $96 :?:E:2==J =:65 23@FE H9J D96 H2D E96C6]k^Am
kAmpE E9:D A@:?E[ p>6C2F=E’D >@E96C C6A@CE65 96C D@? >:DD:?8[ 2?5 A@=:46 H6C6 :?G6DE:82E:?8 E96 q2CC@?D 27E6C qC:E2?J 5:5 ?@E D9@H FA E@ H@C<] pC>2?5@ q2CC@? E@=5 A@=:46 96 925 =67E 9:D H:76 2E E96 H@@5D :? %6>A=6 2E a 2]>] @? $F?52J D@ D96 4@F=5 9:<6 H:E9 7C:6?5D] w6 28C665 E@ 8@ E@ E96 y277C6J A@=:46 DE2E:@? E@ E2=< E@ :?G6DE:82E@CD[ 3FE :?DE625 7=65[ r92D6 D2:5]k^Am
kAm(96? pC>2?5@ q2CC@? H2D 2CC6DE65 @? $6AE] ad[ a_a_[ :? tCC@=[ 96 H2D 5C:G:?8 2 ECF4< =@2565 :? E96 324< H:E9 D@:=[ 46>6?E 3F4<6ED[ 2?5 46>6?E >:I]k^Am
kAm“~z[ D@ D96 7:?2==J 42==65 J@F 8FJD[” 96 C6A@CE65=J D2:5 5FC:?8 9:D 2CC6DE]k^Am
kAmqC:E2?J q2CC@? H:== 36 E96 DE2C H:E?6DD :? E96 EC:2= 2?5 :D 6IA64E65 E@ E2<6 E96 DE2?5 (65?6D52J 27E6C?@@?] ~? %F6D52J[ p>6C2F=E’D >@E96C[ yFDE:?6 p>6C2F=E[ E62C7F==J DA@<6 23@FE C62=:K:?8 96C D@? H2D >:DD:?8 2?5 C6A@CE:?8 E92E E@ A@=:46] p>6C2F=E’D 7C:6?5[ pFDE:? +F6C496C[ E6DE:7:65 23@FE 9@H 6I4:E65 9:D 7C:6?5 H2D E@ 36 DE2CE:?8 9:D C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 qC:E2?J q2CC@?]k^Am
kAmqC:E2?J q2CC@? A=62565 8F:=EJ E@ 6G:56?46 E2>A6C:?8 =2DE J62C 7@C 4FEE:?8 @77 p>6C2F=E’D 9625] $96 H2D D6?E6?465 E@ E9C66 2?5 2 92=7 E@ D6G6? J62CD :? AC:D@?[ H:E9 EH@ J62CD DFDA6?565 7C@> E96 >:?:>F> 2?5 >2I:>F> D6?E6?46D]k^Am
kAm$96 2=D@ 8@E bff 52JD 4C65:E 7@C E:>6 2=C625J D6CG65] $96 H2D C6=62D65 @? A2C@=6 62C=:6C E9:D J62C]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.