MANCHESTER, NH – A city woman, accused of killing her boyfriend by shooting him in the head, was arraigned via video Friday morning on two counts of second-degree murder.
Alicia Castagnino Borges, 24, lists her address as 470 Silver St., Unit 113, a condominium owned by murder victim Brennan Pelio, 27, according to the city’s online assessor’s database.
While the attorney general’s office identified the alleged killer as Alicia Castagnino, court documents identify her as Alicia Castagnino Borges.
She turned her back to the camera when being arraigned on the felony charges in 9th Circuit – District Division – Manchester.
Judge Kimberly Chabot entered no plea for her to the murder counts, one charging her with knowingly causing the death of Pelio, 27, by shooting him in the head with a firearm, and, the second alternative charge of recklessly causing his death under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life by shooting him in the head with a firearm.
The shooting took place about 10 p.m. Tuesday at the Silver Street Twin Towers condominium complex. Arriving officers found Pelio suffering from a bullet wound to the head.
Castagnino, during the arraignment, was dressed in the orange uniform issued those detained in the Valley Street jail.
The judge set a probable cause hearing for Dec. 17 at 8:30 a.m. in district court.
She encouraged Castagnino to apply for court-appointed counsel if she can’t afford to hire one on her own.
“So please do that, so that you’ll have the benefit of counsel at the next hearing on Dec. 17,” the judge said.
Castagnino is being held without bail.