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more from the Eagle-Tribune (Lawrence MA/NH edition). Actually happened a few days ago

http://www.eagletribune.com/newhampshire/x1939354051/Sex-assault-suspect-kills-himself-before-trial

Sex assault suspect kills himself before trial

By Cara Hogan

BRENTWOOD — Roger S. Goode, 65, committed suicide and was found dead yesterday morning, the same day his trial on charges of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl should have begun.

Bridgton, Maine, police Lt. Peter Madura said police were called to Goode’s Bridgton home yesterday morning to investigate.

“It was a suicide, sometime between yesterday and today,” Madura said yesterday.

Jacqueline Docko, a prosecutor for the Rockingham County attorney’s office, was in court yesterday morning to present evidence against Goode when she learned he was dead.

“The trial was scheduled to start today and the state was ready to select jurors,” she said yesterday. “We won’t be going forward in the case because he’s deceased.”

Goode was released on bail after posting $75,000 in February of last year. He was facing 11 charges for allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl in 2009.

Goode was arrested last January during a sting in an East Hampstead parking lot, where he was supposed to meet a teenage girl and take her to a hotel, police said. Instead, officers set up the sting.

Hampstead police Lt. John Frazier said he was there for the arrest. Frazier said he was upset to hear Goode had killed himself.

“I’m upset because Detective Bob Kelley and Assistant County Attorney Docko put an unbelievable amount of effort into this case,” Frazier said yesterday. “We were ready for trial today. Any loss of life is tragic, but this in particular denied us the opportunity to prove our case beyond a reasonable doubt and convict him of what we believe were crimes he committed.”

The victim and her family were notified of Goode’s death, according to Docko, but declined to comment.

Madura said local police didn’t know anything about his case before yesterday, other than that Goode was a sex offender.

“We are cooperating fully with the Hampstead Police Department,” Madura said.