Murder trial in killing of Concord’s Zackary Sullivan will likely not be until June 2025
Published: 06-06-2024 2:08 PM |
A 32-year-old Concord man accused of killing his half-brother in January will likely not stand trial until at least next June, a Merrimack County Superior Court judge indicated on Thursday.
Discussion of scheduling a trial date came during a dispositional conference in the case. Jesse Sullivan, 32, is accused of shooting Zackary Sullivan, 19, near the Dunkin Donuts on Manchester Street in Concord on the evening of Jan. 16. When police arrived, Sullivan had a single gunshot wound to the neck and died later at Concord Hospital.
After Sullivan was originally charged with second-degree murder in February, the charge was upgraded to first-degree murder last month. New Hampshire’s Attorney General’s Office also charged Sullivan with three additional counts: felon in possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of a handgun as a career criminal, and reckless conduct with a deadly weapon.
Sullivan has a criminal record that includes more than a dozen arrests dating back to 2008, when he was 17 years old, according to court records. He has previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a handgun, and assault while he was incarcerated, among other crimes. He was also accused of domestic violence by two different people, including a family member, according to court records.
Sullivan is scheduled to be arraigned on the additional charges on June 24.
He was not present in the courtroom on Thursday, having refused to be transported from New Hampshire State Prison in Concord to attend, according to Judge John Kissinger.
“If Sullivan refuses transport again, [the trial] is going to be set for June,” Kissinger said.
Prosecutor Bethany Durand indicated the trial could be two to three weeks.
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Details about the circumstances of Zackary Sullivan’s death or the nature of the relationship between the half-brothers have not been released.
Zackary’s mother, Audrey Moran, and other family members of Zackary were present at the court proceeding but declined to comment.
At a vigil in January, Moran described Zackary as her “best friend.”
“January 16 is a nightmare that I’m never going to wake up from,” Moran said.
Material from previous Monitor reports was used in this story.
Jeremy Margolis can be contacted at jmargolis@cmonitor.com.