Gilford resident accused of manslaughter held in jail

A Gilford resident accused of manslaughter was ordered to be held in jail, at least for now, during an arraignment in Laconia District Court on Monday.  

Brian Horvath, 45, was arrested and charged with manslaughter in an incident which resulted in the death of another at his family home in Gilford on Friday night. He appeared at the arraignment via videoconference.

Police in Gilford responded to a home on Timber Lane on Friday around 9:46 p.m. after receiving requests for police and fire personnel to attend to a male victim of a single gunshot wound to the chest, according to a police department press release.

When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a man dead inside the residence. 

The victim in the shooting has not been identified. 

Horvath was taken to the Gilford Police Department for questioning as part of the investigation, and was then charged with manslaughter, a special felony, and reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, a Class B felony.

Gilford Police Department prosecutor Sgt. Eric Bredbury asked Judge Christopher Keating to deny the defense’s request to release Horvath on bail on his own promise to return to trial during a Monday court appearance. Bredbury told the court when officers arrested Horvath, he was intoxicated, stumbling and ranting to himself and apparently admitted to police that he shot a firearm. 

“Manslaughter is not one of the offenses that carries with it an automatic condition that he be held without bail,” Justin Littlefield of New Hampshire Public Defenders told Keating.

Littlefield told Keating if the court were to impose mitigating conditions, including that Horvath abstain from alcohol, access to firearms, remain at home other than to attend work or other conditions, such as the imposition of cash bail, Horvath would not be a danger to anyone. 

He noted State Police executed a search warrant at the home and removed two firearms belonging to another Mr. Horvath, who Littlefield referred to as the deceased party in the incident.

“This is a difficult time for everybody — they’ve already lost one son and feel as though they’re losing a second one if he remains in jail,” Littlefield said. 

The affidavit filed in the case is sealed, so Belknap County pretrial services officials haven’t been able to read into the circumstances of the case, so Horvath's criminal history is unclear. 

“I’m lacking information,” pretrial services Officer Sharon Cavanaugh said. 

Bredbury made reference to domestic violence charges in Florida connected to Horvath, which stem from an incident which apparently occurred in 2014.

Bredbury told the court that Belknap County pretrial services staff recommended Horvath be held in jail for the protection of others, based on the information they have so far.

Littlefield requested pretrial services staff be able to review the sealed affidavit for further evaluation of possible bail. Bredbury did not object, and Keating ordered the affidavit be released to pretrial services.

Horvath, who lives at the residence on Timber Lane where the shooting occurred with his parents and works for a boat detailing company in Gilford, will appear in Laconia District Court at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, for a probable cause hearing.