Conway man, guilty in girlfriend's death, is off to prison

CONWAY — The man who shot and killed his live-in girlfriend and the mother of his young son last year stood before a Superior Court judge on Tuesday to receive a prison sentence of up to 26 years.

Earlier this year, Connor Macleod, 25, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in "recklessly" causing the death of 23-year-old Alexis Leach on April 25, 2024, at the apartment they shared in Conway with their then 2-year-old son, Bentley.

Macleod claimed he was simply showing Leach a pistol technique he had seen on YouTube, but prosecutors said his actions constituted reckless disregard for Alexis' life.

After taking Macleod's plea on Tuesday afternoon, Judge Mark Attorri sentenced the young man to 10-26 years in prison, ratifying a plea deal that had been struck between the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office and Macleod's public defenders. 

The sentence was close to the 30-year maximum under sentencing guidelines. However, in New Hampshire, inmates convicted of manslaughter are eligible for parole after serving their minimum sentence, with time taken off for good behavior.

At the plea and sentencing, MacLeod, looking gaunt and somewhat disheveled in an orange jumpsuit, was visibly shaking and sometimes crying.

As he spoke from the bench, Attorri said that while Macleod appeared "anxious" and "nervous," that was understandable under the circumstances.  

"I will accept this sentencing recommendation," Attorri told him, adding, "I don't do it without some hesitation. This is a heartbreaking case. The events, Mr. Macleod, were, pointless and senseless — and I think your reaction today shows your knowledge of that — and absolutely unnecessary.

"This is a tragic waste of life not only for Alexis, but for your son, and in many ways, for yourself as well," the judge told Macleod.

After sentencing, Alexis' father, Tommy Leach of Conway, who is the guardian of his grandson, said Bentley is now 4 years old and able to ride a bike. 

He asked rhetorically how he could put into words the sadness, anger and emotion he has experienced following his daughter's death. He said Bentley continues to ask where his mother is.  

"It was supposed to be my time to have fun, enjoy being a grandparent," said Leach. "Bentley was supposed to be loved by his mom and have kisses and have her kiss his boo-boos, not his Papa (Leach). Every milestone in his life, she won't be there because Connor took her from him."

During the sentencing, Assistant N.H. Attorney General Nicolas Chong Yen went over the facts of the case. On the night of April 25, 2024, a Thursday, at approximately 11:25 p.m., Conway police received a 911 call from the defendant, who reported he had shot and killed his girlfriend. 

Two minutes later, police arrived at River Turn Apartments and found Macleod sitting on the floor of his living room, cradling Alexis between his legs, yelling for help.

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Chong Yen said Macleod told police he had been demonstrating how to take his 9 mm pistol out of battery, a close quarter combat technique that prevents a gun from firing. Macleod told police he knew there was a magazine in the gun but didn't know there were bullets in it. Chong Yen said Macleod's friends told investigators that Macleod was aware of gun safety rules.

"Yet, without checking if his pistol was loaded, the defendant still chose to perform this dangerous technique he saw once on YouTube inside his apartment with Alexis and their 2-year-old son" nearby, said Chong Yen.

He said Macleod told investigators the pistol was an arm's length away from Leach yet autopsy results showed the barrel was up against her skin. 

Police said Macleod appeared inebriated and they administered a blood test that showed his blood alcohol content to be 0.11 percent (for comparative purposes, the legal limit to drive in New Hampshire is 0.08). The interview was paused for a couple of hours and by then, Macleod's BAC was 0.06.

In court, Macleod was represented by Mariana Dominguez and Katherine Anne Andujar of the Public Defender's Office. When it was his turn to speak, Macleod fought back tears. 

"I'm truly tormented," he said, adding he wished more than anything he could have stopped himself that night. He then broke down, and Dominguez had to take over and read his speech for him.

"I will forever be haunted by the promises that I broke, a promise that I'd protect her and that I'd never hurt her," said Dominguez, reading a statement. "I promise I'd always be there, and if I had to, I'd find the edge of the Earth to take care of her and our son. ... I promised he would have it better than we did, because I was going to keep our little family together. But because of my reckless action, I've made it so much worse for him."

She later added: "I (Macleod) won't ask for forgiveness. How could I ask something of you I will never do myself."

Macleod was indicted by a Carroll County grand jury on April 18 on one count of reckless second-degree murder. According to Chong Yen, similar cases ended with a manslaughter conviction, and he said the plea deal spared the Leach family the agony of a prolonged litigation with a trial and possible appeal. 

Alexis' stepmother, Charity Roy, asked that Macleod be sentenced to 25 years in prison, which she noted is one year for every minute Alexis lived after being shot. 

"You murdered my daughter, a defenseless mother, a tiny young woman who had big hopes and dreams," Roy told Macleod during her court statement. "You currently stole all of that from her, from us, and she's gone. What about you, Connor? You get to breathe. You'll get out of prison one day, then have a life. I don't wish the death sentence for you; that would be too easy. My only hope is that you reap what you've sown. ... You shattered so many lives that night."

Tommy Leach says he hopes Alexis' story will shed light on domestic violence and gun safety. 

"There's way too many young ladies who have died in the last two years," he said.