The first court appearance for the Nashua man accused of Robert DeCesare’s murder during Saturday night’s mass shooting at the Sky Meadow County Club only lasted about a minute Monday afternoon.
Authorities are still trying to uncover the reasons behind the horrific violence in which two other people were shot, and four more were injured.
The alleged shooter, Hunter Nadeau, 23, did not physically go into the Nashua Circuit Court on Monday afternoon, but instead appeared via video feed from the Hillsborough County House of Corrections, where he is being held without bail.
Robert DeCesare, Jr.
(Provided by the DeCesare family)
All documents in the case are currently sealed except a barebones complaint charging Nadeau with second-degree murder. If convicted, he could face 25 years to life for that count alone.
Nadeau waived his arraignment and agreed to the next court date of Oct. 1 for a probable cause hearing. Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinkley said after Monday’s hearing that the next step will be to present evidence to a grand jury for possible indictments.
“After that probable-cause hearing, the case is going to be adjourned to superior court, and we’ll have 90 days to present indictments against the defendant,” Hinkley said.
The period after the probable cause hearing gives prosecutors time to continue their investigation into Nadeau’s motives. Evidence to support more charges will then likely be brought to the grand jury.
Despite Nadeau’s shouts of “Free Palestine” during the shooting, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said Sunday that his office doesn’t currently believe a political ideology inspired the attack. Instead, investigators believe Nadeau shouted several different comments during the incident in an effort to cause chaos and confusion.
Rob Parsons
What is known is that Nadeau had worked at Sky Meadow, last working at the country club sometime within the past year. Sky Meadow owner Rob Parsons read a statement Monday after the hearing, though he declined to answer questions given the still-open investigation.
“This is the heinous act of a coward who will be held accountable for what he did,” Parsons said.
DeCesare, who lived in the Sky Meadow gated community, was dining with his family in the Prime restaurant when he was shot. Charlene DeCesare issued a statement through Parsons thanking the community for the support she’s received.
“Everyone needs to know I am not leaving Sky Meadow, and I am not leaving this community. This is my solace and this is my community,” Charlene DeCesare said in the statement. “The people at Sky Meadow are my heart right now, and I am forever grateful.”
Nadeau allegedly entered the country club where he used to work around 7:20 p.m. on Saturday armed with a handgun. He shot and wounded one employee in a hallway before he allegedly entered the restaurant and fired more. Robert DeCesare and another patron were shot as patrons and employees rushed to stop Nadeau’s terror.
“There were many heroes that night,” Parsons said.
The employee is listed in critical but stable conditions. The condition of the other patron who was shot is not known. Two other people who were reportedly hurt sustained their injuries in the confrontation with Nadeau, and others were injured in the mad rush to get out of the building, according to officials.
Nashua police found and arrested Nadeau in a nearby neighborhood about 30 minutes after the shooting. He was arrested without any further incident, according to police.
Late Monday, the Attorney General’s Office announced the autopsy found DeCesare’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, and that the manner of death was homicide.
