KEENE, NH – A Jaffrey couple is facing charges in the disappearance and murder of a Keene man.
Jonathan Amerault, 25, was reported missing this past Monday when he failed to show up for work in Jaffrey, and friends and family said they hadn’t heard from him since Saturday.
Amerault’s body was found in Atkinson and Gilmanton Academy Grant in Coos County on Tuesday. An autopsy performed Thursday determined he died of a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of his death was homicide.
According to a press release investigators determined Armando Barron, 30, of Jaffrey lured Amerault to Annette Wayside Park in Rindge Overnight Saturday. He was arrested earlier today and charged with capital murder for knowingly causing the death of Amerault by shooting him while engaged in the commission of a kidnapping.
In addition Britany Barron, 31, Armando Barren’s wife also of Jaffrey, was arrested Thursday. She’s facing three counts of falsifying physical evidence in conjunction with Amerault’s murder for altering, destroying, concealing, or removing items of physical evidence when she believe an investigation was pending.
According to court documents an extramarital affair may be what sparked the incident. Armando allegedly ordered Britany to shoot Amerault. When she didn’t Armando took the gun and directed Britany to place her foot on Amerault’s throat. Armando then ordered Amerault to get in his vehicle, from there court documents say Armando fired three shots into the vehicle, striking Amerault.
Britany told investigators that following the shooting Armando ordered her to drive the car with Amerault’s body inside north, where Armando ordered her to sever Amerault’s head. The affidavit says she did so with a saw and buried it separately.
Later Fish and Game officials located Britany who had set up a campsite and told her she couldn’t be camping in that area. Court documents say she later returned to the area with officers to retrieve something and officers spotted what appeared to be a body wrapped in a tarp nearby, which turned out to be that of Amerault’s.
Britany Barron is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in Coos County. Armando Barron pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained at an arraignment earlier today in Cheshire County Superior Court.
