November 6, 2017
In a last minute arrangement, Gauvin Monaghan was brought before Judge Robert O. Bowen this morning to plead guilty to murder of lifelong Marshall County resident Paul Costello, just shy of 80 years old at the time of his death. The court proceedings were very brief as Bowen advised Monaghan of his various rights and the terms of the plea agreement. The agreement provided for Monaghan to plead guilty to the single count of murder, and all other counts were dismissed, which included conspiracy to commit murder, burglary, auto theft and a separate count of theft.
Monaghan addressed the Judge’s questions with very soft one word answers. The Judge had to ask Monaghan more than once to speak louder. When asked how he pled, Monaghan said he was guilty of murder. Monaghan was set to go to trial on December 12, 2017, which of course has now been canceled.
A sentencing hearing was set for December 13, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.
Monaghan has been represented throughout the proceedings by local attorney Marc Morrison. In court today representing the state was Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tami Napier. Chipman and Napier were scheduled to try the case together.
Family members of the victim filled the back row of the spectator section of the courtroom as they intently watched the proceedings. At the sentencing hearing they will be encouraged to testify as to the impact the murder has had on the family.
Maeson Coffin, Monaghan’s co-defendant, is scheduled for trial as a first setting on January 30, 2018.
Chipman commented, “Although we acknowledge that by pleading guilty, Mr. Monaghan has accepted responsibility of his crime and has relieved both the State and the Costello family from the rigors of a jury trial, it nevertheless does little to mitigate the horrendous nature of his brutal assault on an elderly man. We will be arguing at sentencing for the maximum term of imprisonment of 65 years.”