Pawtucket, RI: Man charged in death of girlfriend

By The Associated Press


Police say 30-year-old Brooke Verdoia was found dead in her home Saturday.

A 30-year-old Pawtucket man was charged Monday in the weekend killing of his girlfriend.

Armando Garcia was arraigned in Providence District Court on a murder charge and ordered held without bail.

The medical examiner said 30-year-old Brooke Verdoia died of multiple traumatic injuries. She was found dead in her Rufus Street home Saturday and her car was gone. The car was found about 12 hours later in the city.

Garcia told the court "I got scared" after the judge read a charge of failing to report Verdoia's death.

While the judge was reading the murder charge, Garcia shook his head and said "not guilty."

People in the courtroom were crying, and as Garcia was being led out of the courtroom, someone yelled out to him.

Garcia is also accused of violating probation. He served time for stealing a car and breaking and entering.