Plea and sentencing in connection with the June 21, 2017 murder of James Brock in Franklin, New Hampshire (State v. Richard Tripaldi)

New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and State Police Colonel Christopher Wagner announce that Richard Tripaldi pled guilty today and was sentenced in connection with a murder that occurred on June 21, 2017 in Franklin, New Hampshire.

On August 1, 2017, police were told that James Brock (age 24) had been shot and killed. After speaking to witnesses, Brock's remains were located in the woods in Franklin, New Hampshire. An autopsy revealed that he had died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head.

Based on witness interviews, Brock's former boyfriend, Richard Tripaldi (age 25 at the time), was identified as the suspect in Brock's murder. With the assistance of the Manchester Police Department, Tripaldi was located in Manchester, New Hampshire on August 2, 2017. Tripaldi later confessed to the murder of Brock. He was arrested for the murder and has been held without bail since.

Tripaldi pled guilty today to Second-Degree Murder, for causing James Brock's death, and a Class A Felony of Theft by Unauthorized Taking, for stealing Brock's car. The Court imposed a sentence of forty-two years to life in prison on the murder charge, and a concurrent sentence of seven and one-half to fifteen years in prison on the theft.

The successful resolution of this case was the result of the collaborative efforts of the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, the New Hampshire State Police, the Franklin Police Department, and the Manchester Police Department.