Jaffrey couple charged in beheading murder indicted
Apr. 28—A Jaffrey couple charged in the decapitation murder of a Keene man has been indicted by a multi-county grand jury on multiple charges including capital murder and falsifying evidence, the Attorney General's Office said.
Britany Barron, 31, formerly of Jaffrey, was arrested last September after telling police that her husband Armando Barron 30, beat her, put a gun in her mouth, murdered Jonathan Amerault, 25, in the Cheshire County town of Rindge on Sept. 19, 2020, forced her to drive the body in Amerault's car 225 miles to Coos County, saw off the head and bury the body.
Britany Barron was indicted for three counts of falsifying physical evidence for knowingly separating Jonathan Amerault's head from his body; knowingly wrapping Amerault's body in a tarp and dragging it into a remote area; and knowingly cleaning part of Amerault's Subaru Impreza.
In addition, two complaints were filed by the Attorney General's Office charging Britany Barron with abuse of a corpse for "knowingly removing, concealing or destroying a corpse or any part thereof" for removing Amerault's head from his body and concealing his body by wrapping it in a tarp and dragging it into a remote area.
Britany Barron is being held without bail. She will be arraigned on these indictments in Coos County Superior Court at an undetermined time.
Armando Barron was indicted for one count of capital murder, first degree murder, two counts of criminal solicitation of murder, kidnapping, two counts of criminal solicitation of first degree assault, and second degree assault.
He was also indicted for one count of domestic violence, reckless conduct — domestic violence; and two counts of second degree assault. The Attorney General's Office also filed two complaints charging Armando Barron for the misdemeanor offenses of domestic violence.
Armando Barron also continues to be held without bail. His arraignment on these indictments has yet to be scheduled in Cheshire County Superior Court.
Amerault was reported missing after he failed to show up for work in Jaffrey, where he met Britany Barron, according to court records.
Amerault died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head and Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie V. Duval ruled the death a homicide, prosecutors said.
Amerault's body was discovered 225 miles away in Atkinson and Gilmanton Academy Grant in Coos County. The grant is on the Maine border, just south of the town of Pittsburg.
The crime of capital murder remains on the books in New Hampshire, though the New Hampshire Legislature overrode Gov. Chris Sununu in 2019 and repealed the state's death penalty. Capital crimes include murder of a police officer, murder during a rape, murder for hire, murder in kidnapping and murder in a home invasion.
The penalty is life in prison without parole, the same as for a first-degree murder conviction.
