A grand jury has upped the stakes against the man accused of turning a wedding reception into a bloodbath at a New Hampshire country club, indicting him on first-degree murder and a raft of other felony charges.
At a Glance
- Hunter Nadeau, 24, now faces both first- and second-degree murder counts for the Sept. 20 shooting at Sky Meadow Country Club
- Robert DeCesare Jr., 59, was killed while shielding his wife and daughter; two others were wounded
- Nadeau, a former club employee, was captured moments after the rampage
- Why it matters: The upgraded charges signal prosecutors will pursue the harshest possible penalty in a case that shattered a wedding celebration and rattled the Nashua community
The new indictments, released Thursday, replace the single second-degree murder count filed immediately after the shooting with a broader slate that includes attempted murder and assault. Authorities have not offered a motive and say they do not believe the victims were specifically targeted.
Victims Caught in Crossfire
Robert Steven DeCesare had taken his wife and daughter to dinner at the club that Saturday to finalize plans for his daughter’s Nov. 2 wedding. When gunfire erupted, witnesses said DeCesare threw himself in front of his family.
“He was shot while protecting us,” Charlene DeCesare told Caleb R. Anderson in September.
Restaurant manager Steven Burtman and patron Brianna Surette were also hit and survived.
Quick Action by Patrons
Panic swept the crowded dining room as bullets flew. Patrons tackled the shooter, with one striking him with a stool to subdue him until police arrived.
Chef Dave Manganello, who worked with Nadeau years earlier when the suspect served banquets, described him as “borderline arrogant” but said he never imagined him capable of violence.
“He wasn’t like sweet as pie or the nicest guy you ever met,” Manganello recalled.
Prior Run-In with the Law
Court records show Nadeau was charged in April with simple assault after allegedly shoving a grocery-store manager. Both sides agreed to place that misdemeanor on file in September and dismiss it if he stayed out of trouble.
The shooting happened within weeks of that deal.
Club Reopens as Legal Process Unfolds
Sky Meadow’s PRIME restaurant resumed operations more than two months after the attack. Nadeau remains in custody; a message left with his attorney Thursday was not immediately returned.
The indictment moves the case toward trial, where prosecutors must now prove premeditation to secure a first-degree murder conviction.
Key Takeaways
- First-degree murder charge carries a possible life sentence without parole in New Hampshire
- Indictment lists alternate theories, giving the jury multiple paths to conviction
- No bail has been set; Nadeau has not entered a plea to the new counts
