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Fifth suspect arrested in Mont Vernon, N.H. attacks

E-mail|Link November 18, 2009 07:52 PM

Mark Wilson for The Boston Globe

A section of Trow Road was closed as police scrutinized the crime scene last month.

By Milton Valencia, Globe Staff

A fifth man was charged today in connection with last month’s horrific killing of a mother and the maiming of her 11-year-old daughter while they slept in the comfort of their southern New Hampshire home.

Police say Autumn Savoy, a 20-year-old from Hollis, N.H., and a close friend of the four men already charged, had tried to cover up his friends' involvement in the Oct. 4 attack in Mont Vernon on 42-year-old Kim Cates and her daughter, Jamie.

Savoy allegedly lied to police when he said two of those charged were at his home when the crime occurred. And he allegedly helped dump their clothes and items stolen from the crime scene into the Nashua River, not far from his home, prosecutors said.

A teary-eyed Savoy was arraigned today in Milford District Court on charges of hindering apprehension or prosecution and conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension or prosecution. He did not enter a plea, a customary practice in major crimes in New Hampshire, and was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail.

Savoy is expected to be arraigned in Nashua District Court Thursday on an additional charge of hindering apprehension or prosecution.

The Milford District Court charges related to his attempt to provide his friends an alibi and a general scheme to cover up the crime, while the Nashua District Court charge related to the dumping of evidence into the river, prosecutors said. The crimes occurred in different jurisdictions so they're being prosecuted in different courthouses.

Savoy was arrested at his home this afternoon without incident.

Prosecutors released little information, citing a court order to seal certain records in the case. But Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley said, “It’s an ongoing investigation, as you could tell from the arrest of someone today.”

Steven Spader, 17, and Christopher Gribble, 19, are charged with first-degree murder, and William Marks, 18, and Quinn Glover, 17, face charges of burglary, robbery, and conspiracy.

"They picked the house at random because it was in an isolated area," prosecutor N. William Delker said during the teens' arraignments last month. "Before they entered the home, all four defendants were aware that the intent was to kill the occupants."

A young woman who answered the phone at the Savoy home this afternoon, said, "No comment from anybody of this family. Thank you. Bye," and then hung up.

Martin Finucane of the Globe staff contributed to this report.