Man denies Bennington murder charge

BENNINGTON — “I’m dead” may have been the last words spoken by a Springfield, Vermont, man shot to death in Bennington on Aug. 3, according to the affidavit filed against a Springfield, Massachusetts, man accused of his murder.

Raul Cardona, 28, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in Bennington criminal court to the murder of Patrick Mullinnex, 38, of Springfield, Vermont.

Cardona was arraigned on a felony charge of second-degree murder. He is being held without bail.

An affidavit in the case does not give a reason why Cardona allegedly shot Mullinnex.

Police also charged three men on Friday in Windsor County court over allegations they kidnapped a man from a Springfield, Vermont, home on July 30 and assaulted him

Christopher Merritt, 40, and Jesse LaFlam Sr., 49, both of Springfield, have been charged with kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon among other charges, in Windsor County court and Zachary Russell, 25, of Bennington, faces similar charges in the alleged incident.

Police said Mullinnex was part of the group involved in the incident and allegedly kidnapped a woman at gunpoint, before the woman and others were brought to Mullinnex’s home where the men allegedly assaulted one man and threatened to murder other people.

The affidavit written in the Cardona case does not mention the alleged kidnapping incident or provide any link between the alleged kidnapping on July 30 and Mullinnex’s murder on Aug. 3.

On Tuesday, Chief Paul Doucette, of the Bennington Police Department, said by email he couldn’t speculate on the motive for Mullinnex’s death at this time.

“The Vermont State Police are investigating the kidnapping incident in Springfield and our investigators are communicating and sharing information,” he added.

The charge against Cardona is based on an affidavit written by Detective Corey Briggs, of the Bennington Police Department, who said police responded to 324 Pleasant St. in Bennington because of a 911 call made around 9:15 a.m. on Aug. 3.

Briggs said a man, later identified as Mullinnex was laying on his right side in the bathroom of the apartment. He said there was an empty firearm holster in the front of Mullinnex’s pants and that members of the Bennington Rescue Squad, who pronounced Mullinnex dead, cut away his shirt which revealed several “bullet-hole-sized wounds to his chest.”

A witness, who is not identified by name, age or gender, initially told police that Mullinnex had woken them up and said there was a man he didn’t know in the apartment. The witness said Mullinnex and the man, who they did not see well enough to identify, talked but they did not hear what was said.

The witness initially told police the man shot Mullinnex and then left.

However, later in the affidavit, Briggs said the witness was being interviewed by other law-enforcement agents and asked them to turn off the recording device they had been using. After the recording was stopped, the witness claimed they “used to be really good friends with the male who shot Patrick.”

During that interview, the witness said they met him months ago and identified him as “Raul Cardona.” The witness said his street name in Bennington is “Chad” and his street name in Springfield, Massachusetts, is “Bo.”

The witness said they had talked to Cardona on video two days before the shooting and allegedly said they did not want to “push” for him. Briggs said he knew from his training and experience that “push” means to sell drugs.

“(The witness) said after Raul shot Patrick, he said to (the witness,) ‘I’m sorry, sis.’ (The witness) said, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ Raul said, ‘Run,’” Briggs wrote in the affidavit.

The witness said they tried to help Mullinnex after he was shot and he said, “I’m dead.”

The witness told police they know Cardona generally carries a handgun and that he had it during the day of the murder, according to the affidavit.

Briggs said the witness was able to identify Cardona from a photo lineup.

At the time the affidavit, which was dated Aug. 4, was written, Cardona had not been located but on Monday, the Bennington Police Department posted a message from Doucette to Facebook that said Cardona had turned himself in.

During Cardona’s arraignment on Tuesday, attorney Fred Bragdon, who represents Cardona, did not contest the state’s request to hold his client without bail and asked that no hearing be scheduled on bail until the defense makes a written request.

“Although my client has surrendered knowing the nature of these charges, which I think is a strong bail consideration on his behalf, your honor, he doesn’t have any local ties and the family wants to discuss whether one of the family members will try to establish residency up here for the court’s consideration,” he said to Judge Cortland Corsones.

Erica Marthage, the Bennington County State’s Attorney, said the state was asking that Cardona continue to be held without bail and not be allowed to contact Mullinnex’s family or another person who may have been the witness who spoke to police.

If Cordona is convicted of the charge, he could be sentenced to up to life in prison and would face a presumptive minimum term of 20 years in prison.

patrick.mcardle

@rutlandherald.com