Blair went out for coffee with a friend

A local man charged with killing his girlfriend over the Memorial Day weekend reportedly told a friend he believed he’d murdered the woman several hours before he called the police, according to court papers.

Robert Blair, 47, of 171 Gilford Avenue, is charged with aggravated second-degree murder in the death of Donna Bucker, 53. Police say Bucker died as a result of injuries caused when Blair hit her in the head during an argument on Saturday.

In an affidavit filed in Laconia District Court yesterday, Police Detective Sergeant Bill Clary said the friend said that Blair reported waking up in bed with Bucker around 5:30 a.m. Sunday and thinking she had died, noting that “her lips were blue.”

Blair then used Bucker’s car to drive to his friend’s residence where he drank coffee and talked about the situation.

“(The friend) said that Blair told him that Bucker was dead and that he (Blair) had killed her,” the court affidavit reads. “(The friend) also said that he, Blair, believed that Bucker had died in her sleep and that he felt it was probably from his hitting her in the head the previous evening.”

Blair later returned to his apartment but did not call Laconia Police until 9:03 a.m. to report the death, saying that he thought Bucker had a heart attack.

One of Bucker’s relatives told police that the woman had suffered a heart attack last year and was in rehabilitation recently.

According to Clary’s affidavit, Bucker and Blair had been arguing – and drinking – for sometime Saturday. Blair said that Bucker drank about a half-bottle of wine and that he consumed several bottles of beer.

The couple began arguing around 1:30 p.m. after Bucker had a phone call conversation with a relative.

During the fight, Blair said Bucker threw some household objects at him.

He tried to defend himself by holding her arms behind her. Sometime during the altercation, he reported hitting Bucker in the head, causing her to fall over a camping tent that was set up in the couple’s living room. (A friend who was visiting the couple slept in the tent at night.)

“According to Blair, it is possible he may have hit her more than once but he is not certain because he was in a ‘rage,’” Clary’s affidavit reads.

Blair told police that he hit his girlfriend with an open hand but a witness at the scene said Blair had a closed fist.

In a later interview, Blair told police that he may have “blacked out” during the altercation.

“He then asked himself what he had just done,” the affidavit reads.

Blair told police that Bucker passed out for about five seconds after he hit her.

Afterwards, she complained of a headache but Blair did not respond.

“Bucker at that time asked to go to the hospital and Blair refused to transport her there,” the affidavit adds.

After the altercation, Blair left the apartment and visited his friend, the same man he went to see Sunday morning. The friend said Blair stopped by several times on Saturday to talk about his ongoing argument with Bucker.

Meanwhile, another friend came by the Gilford Avenue apartment and advised Bucker to leave, but she reportedly refused.

Bucker indicated to the woman that she had been hit “in the left temple, in the area between the left eye and ear,” the court papers read.

Some time later, Bucker passed out, but Blair was unsure whether it from alcohol or the blow to the head, Blair.

He and his guest put the woman to bed, and he told police she felt like “dead weight” at the time although she was snoring.

Around 7 a.m. on Sunday, Blair visited his friend drove to his friend.

When he returned to the apartment, he told his guest Bucker was dead and asked him to leave.

“It is my problem,” Blair reportedly said, and he indicated that he wanted to hold Bucker before calling the authorities.

Autopsy reports on Bucker’s body indicated bruises on both of arms, on her chest and on her leg. Some appeared to be fresh.

Blair and Bucker were together for about 18 years but had only moved to their most recent residence several months ago.

One of Bucker’s relatives told police that there was a history of verbal and physical abuse in the couple’s relationship and that she had said she begged Bucker to leave Blair just days before.

She told police that recently Blair had repeatedly told his girlfriend: “You would be better off dead. It would be better for everyone if you were dead. I hate you.”

According to police, Blair agreed to be interviewed about Bucker's death — without a lawyer — on Sunday, even consenting to have the discussion audio and videotaped.

He is being held at the Belknap County Jail on $500,000 cash bail.