N.H. man accused in assault, kidnapping of ex-girlfriend

JAFFREY, N.H. -- A Merrimack man faces charges after allegedly holding his former girlfriend captive for 21 hours, sexually assaulting her, threatening to kill her, and putting her body in a freezer.

Brian Chevalier, 37, is charged with aggravated felonious sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, criminal threatening, and reckless conduct.

He was arraigned Wednesday in Jaffrey-Peterborough District Court. Bail was set at $100,000. He faces a probable cause hearing Jan. 9.

As conditions of bail, Chevalier must commit no further criminal offenses, must stay at least 100 yards away and have no contact with the woman or her family, must stay in Merrimack, must not possess a gun, and must not abuse alcohol or drugs.

Police said the former girlfriend -- a 33-year-old Jaffrey woman Chevalier had dated for about three months -- returned home Monday to find him inside her home. Police said he bound her to a bed and covered her mouth with duct tape while he assaulted her.

She said that at one point he squeezed her throat until she blacked out. When she regained consciousness, she said, Chevalier told her he was considering killing her, then himself. She said he told her he would kill her by 4 a.m. Tuesday unless she came up with a good plan to help him escape.

She used her computer to book flights to San Diego, but canceled them when they didn't fit his timetable, police said.

By Tuesday afternoon, Chevalier began apologizing, police said. The woman told them Chevalier kept her in the bedroom until about 2:30 p.m. that day, when he forced her to drive him to his vehicle.

At his arraignment, Chevalier said everything had been consensual. He said he also had been tied to the bed at one point and had bite marks and rope burns.