Church Street murder suspect seeks to represent himself

BURLINGTON — The man charged with first degree murder in a fatal stabbing on Church Street told a judge Thursday that he wants to represent himself in the case.

Louis Fortier, 36, was identified by witnesses and surveillance video as the person who repeatedly stabbed Richard Medina, 43, at the Church Street Marketplace on Wednesday afternoon.

The daytime slaying and bloody aftermath at the pedestrian market, just before 2 p.m., was witnessed by many passers-by, several of whom tried to aid Medina before police arrived. Medina was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, according to police.

Public defender Leroy Yoder entered a plea of not guilty on Fortier’s behalf. Moments later, Fortier, who appeared before Judge James Crucitti via video conference, said he “intends to handle this entire matter on my own.”

Crucitti told Fortier he would like him to discuss that with his court-appointed attorney before making a final decision, and the issue would be addressed at a later hearing. Fortier was ordered held without bail.

Speaking with reporters after Fortier’s arraignment, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George said she’s seen nothing like Wednesday’s killing during her time as a prosecutor in Burlington. A December 2015 shooting on lower Church Street occurred after bars closed for the night and involved other motivating factors, she said.

“This one, in my time here, is very different, and in my opinion very scary. I mean this happened in the middle of the day at lunchtime basically on Church Street, for what appears to be no motive, or very little motive, that we know of at this time,” she said.

Though the confrontation lasted only two minutes, George said video footage and witness statements support the first degree murder charge, meaning the killing was premeditated. First degree murder carries a minimum sentence of 35 years in prison.

“Premeditated doesn’t have to be a long time. Two minutes, if you’re sitting there waiting two minutes, can actually be a significant amount of time to plan something, and from the state’s perspective that appears to be what (Fortier) did,” George said.

George said there is little at this point to establish whether, or how well, the two men knew each other.

The stabbing took place at the intersection of Church and Cherry streets and was largely captured by surveillance cameras outside Outdoor Gear Exchange. The Church Street Marketplace camera system captured some of the incident as well, according to police.

Video shows Fortier leaning against the wall of the Dear Lucy shoe store when Medina approaches him just before 1:49 p.m., according to a police affidavit.

George, who viewed the footage, said it appears the two men “engage in some sort of conversation” before Fortier takes a knife out of his pocket and stabs Medina in the head and neck while holding him in striking distance with his other hand. Medina then turns away from Fortier, who stabs him three times in the back, according to the affidavit.

Fortier then drops the knife and his wallet, which police say he appears to have been holding throughout the encounter. Fortier can then be seen dropping his backpack and removing his jacket. He gets down on his knees and places his hands on his head. Moments later an officer places him in custody. Police noted blood on Fortier’s hands and clothing at the time of his arrest, according to the affidavit.

Police described the knife as a folding buck knife with a 3-inch blade and camouflage handle. The wallet recovered at the scene contained Fortier’s Massachusetts driver’s license.

George said she believes Fortier’s behavior after the stabbing is further evidence of premeditation.

“I think that goes to not only his knowledge that what he had just done was illegal and wrong, but also the premeditation. This is what he planned to do. He did it, and he remained on scene until the police got there,” she said.

Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo described both men as transients Wednesday and said the altercation that led to Medina’s killing “does not appear to have been random.”

One witness, who told police he knew Medina, said he saw Medina, Fortier and another man leaving the Marketplace Parking Garage several minutes before the stabbing.

The witness said he heard Fortier ask Medina, “Where’s my money?” Medina appeared confused by the question, the witness told police. The group walked west on Cherry Street and did not appear to be arguing, the witness said, according to the affidavit.

Fortier made a statement once he was in police custody “indicating that they knew each other from the shelter,” George said. That statement isn’t included in the police affidavit. Instead, an officer reported that Fortier said, without prompting, while he was in a police cruiser, “They were molesting me at the shelter. They were molesting me in the shelter.”

Once Fortier was inside the police station, he was read his Miranda rights and requested a lawyer. The affidavit doesn’t include any further statements from Fortier.

Del Pozo said police believe Fortier recently traveled to Burlington from Massachusetts. On March 6 Fortier delivered a “typed letter” to the state’s attorney’s office that was “rambling” and “referenced numerous conspiracy theories,” according to the affidavit.

George confirmed her office received the letter, and she said they turned it over to police Wednesday once they realized it was written by the suspect.

Del Pozo did not respond to a public records request for a copy of the letter beyond acknowledging receipt of the request. Asked if he had further information related to Fortier’s mental health, the chief said in an email, “It bears on the case so it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment right now.”

George said of the question of mental health, “We don’t believe that had anything to do with the incident.”

A Facebook page in Fortier’s name has several posts from Saturday, including: “I’m still in Burlington Vermont — can’t get away from pizza gate” and “They’ll molest you and yours too.”

Pizzagate is the name of a conspiracy theory that emerged on the internet during the 2016 presidential election. It alleges without evidence that Hillary Clinton and her campaign chair, John Podesta, were involved in a child prostitution ring run out of a Washington, D.C., pizzeria.

A North Carolina man was arrested and later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his attempt to investigate the Pizzagate conspiracy by entering the D.C. pizzeria with an assault rifle and firing multiple shots. No one was injured.

On Wednesday, just an hour before the stabbing, the Fortier account user posted a YouTube video of the Led Zeppelin song “Stairway to Heaven,” and minutes before another video of the Nirvana song “Come as You Are.”

The Facebook page says Fortier lives in Boston and attended South Boston High School. Court records show he has a lengthy arrest record in Massachusetts and Alabama, dating back to 1996, including charges of assault with intent to murder and public intoxication.

Medina has been in Burlington since at least 2013 and has had frequent interactions with city police, the chief said, many of which occurred at the Church Street Marketplace or on North Street in the Old North End.

“His involvements were as a person of interest, arrestee or suspect in various assault, trespass, intoxication, disturbance, domestic and mental health calls,” del Pozo said.

George said she did not know Medina personally, but he was in court as recently as March 24. She was not involved with the hearing in his case that day, and she was not immediately able to say what charges were being addressed.

Members of the public who witnessed Medina’s killing and have not spoken to police are encouraged to call Burlington Police Detective Jamie Morris at 802-540-2254.

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