MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) – A seventh suspect pleaded not guilty Monday in the beating death of an alleged drug dealer whose body was found in a shallow grave last week.
Aaron Bassett, 28, formerly of Enfield, N.H., was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and attempted assault in the beating death of James “Jamie” Saunders, 33, of Barre.
Bassett, who has a criminal record that includes at least two drug convictions in New Hampshire, was arrested in Florida on Wednesday and flown to Vermont on Friday to face charges.
He confessed his involvement in the killing, Washington County State’s Attorney Craig Nolan said Monday.
Witnesses told authorities that Bassett “had a hands-on involvement in this act,” Nolan said.
Bassett wore a gray T-shirt with the inscription “I fear no beer,” to his arraignment. Vermont District Court Judge Brian Grearson said that was “not an appropriate message for this forum.”
Grearson ordered Bassett held without bail after Nolan argued that the evidence of guilt was great and that there was a high risk Bassett would flee if released on bail.
“He is a risk to the public as well as to the codefendants or witnesses,” Nolan said.
Three other adults and three Barre teenagers have been charged in the kidnapping and killing of Saunders on May 10.
Leodor Rousseau, 32, and Joshua Darling, 21 have pleaded not guilty to murder, kidnapping, attempted assault and robbery. Jonathan Whalley of Northfield, who led police to Saunders’ body, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact.
The three teenagers, Melinda Pike, 17, Nathaniel Masi, 15, and Shawn Fordham, 14, face kidnapping charges for allegedly luring Saunders into a vehicle, affidavits said.
Saunders’ body was buried in a shallow grave behind the Vershire house where Rousseau and Darling lived until August when they moved to Troy, N.C. Rousseau and Darling have been charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, attempted assault and robbery.
Bassett’s criminal past includes convictions in June 2002 in Vermont of a second driving under the influence charge, disorderly conduct and violation of probation, for which he was sentenced to 12 to 24 months in prison.
He also was convicted in New Hampshire of possession of drugs in August 2001 and of a controlled drug charge in March 2004.
AP-ES-10-02-06 1813EDT
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