Louise Brochu NEW PORTLAND -– State Police announced on Sept. 24 that Jeffrey LaGasse, 31, of New Portland, was indicted for murder charges and made his first court appearance Friday, Sept. 25 in Skowhegan. The indictment was made by a confidential Somerset County grand jury on Sept 18. The charges are in connection with the June 7, 2007 Maine State Police ruled homicide of Louise Brochu at her home and business along Route 27 in New Portland.

An indictment hearing is not a finding of guilt. Rather, it is the belief or indication that there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial.

LaGasse was arraigned last Friday by the Somerset County Grand Jury.

LaGasse, under the lead of court appointed attorney Jason Jabar of Waterville, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder in front of Justice John Nivison of Somerset County Superior Court.

Jabar, who said he’s looking forward to the case, says his client adamantly denied that he committed the crime, according to reports in the Lewiston Sun Journal.

The attorney general prosecuting the case is Andrew Benson and told reporters that he has no intent in seeing the accused being released on bail. A hearing on bail review is being scheduled within the next couple of months.

The charge of murder could result in 25 years to life in prison, according to the indictment. The indictment also states that LaGasse, “intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Brochu, or engaged in conduct that manifested a depraved indifference to the value of human life and which in fact caused the death of Brochu.”

LaGasse was a former employee of Brochu’s New Portland Wood Flooring business.

Early in the investigation, police questioned LaGasse upward of four times. The New Portland resident at the time lived in a second floor apartment above what was known as the Wire Bridge Diner. Later reports suggested he lived in Highland Plantation.

Investigators also impounded his vehicles in 2007, searched him and his apartment looking for evidence, took pictures, but made no arrests on the murder charges. At the time he was living with his girlfriend and three children.

The autopsy report by the Maine State Examiners Office and any other evidence relative to the conviction are not being re- vealed by investigators or the prosecution at this time. That information along with the possibility of newly developed witness statements will be revealed as the court case progresses.

Jim Brochu said that the case is in the hands of the DA and it’s up to them to reveal any information or not. He wanted to be sure he didn’t say too much about the accused man or about the case. “It’s all too new and we don’t want to say or do anything that will jeopardize the case,” Brochu said.

Now at the beginning of the third year of investigation, police feel they’ve gathered enough evidence, and the grand jury agreed to take him to trial on the murder charges.

Brochu said that there is relief for him and his family in knowing that the process is underway. However, he said, “understandably so, the relief will come with the conviction.”

LaGasse was reported to have gone to the Brochu business on the morning of June 8, 2007 and claims he was the one who called the police when he found out she was not there. He told the Morning Sentinel that the door was locked and when he looked through the window, he noticed that the office was in disarray.

“LaGasse has been in custody on unrelated charges

since November of 2007. He is currently serving a sentence at the Maine State Prison for violation of probation,” said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.

Lagasse, of 1992 Long Falls Road, Highland Plantation at that time, was arrested on charges of violation of conditions of release and operating under the influence.

He was currently being held at the county jail in East Madison and has been an inmate in Southwest Harbor and the state penitentiary in Warren for the probation violations. He originally was arrested and convicted for burglary and theft in Southwest Harbor. He currently is scheduled to be released in January for the probation violations and being held without the opportunity to bail.

Prosecutors are looking to hold another hearing in the next couple of months so that it would deny any possible opportunity of release.