By DEVON CORMIER
Staff Writer
dcormier@yourneighborhoodnews.com

TO PLEAD INSANITY – Christopher Bernard showed no emotion as he was escorted into court Monday, Oct. 18, to be arraigned on charges that he murdered his sister and her two young children by stabbing them. Bernard’s eye is droopy from an apparent suicide attempt that left him with head injuries hours before the bodies of his sister, niece and nephew were found in his Manchester home. (Associated Press Photo)

MANCHESTER – Christopher Bernard has been charged with the stabbing deaths of his sister and her two young children. His arraignment took place Monday, Oct. 18, in Manchester District Court. Defense Attorney Barbara Keshen said she would pursue an insanity defense.

“It is hard for me to express his state of mind,” Keshen said. “Chris clearly had a major mental illness that went undiagnosed and untreated.”

Bernard, 35, of 61 Johnson St., was found wandering in traffic on Interstate 93 on Oct. 4 in an apparent suicide attempt. Three hours later, at about 9:05 p.m., a welfare check at his Manchester residence led police to the bodies of Tricia Doyle, 30, her daughter Gillian, 4, and son James, 2, all of Helen Drive in Hooksett.

Autopsies revealed that Tricia Doyle died of a single stab wound while the children died of multiple stab wounds. Husband and father Robert Doyle survived his family.

Patricia Bernard, mother of the victim and the accused, was present at Bernard’s arraignment. She dressed in black and declined comment. She was accompanied by a victim advocate who ushered her and her husband in and out of Manchester District Court.

Christopher Bernard was quickly swept into a garage upon arriving at his arraignment. He was escorted into the courtroom in a bright orange jumpsuit, shackles pulling at his feet. He showed no emotion.

Bernard’s left eye was almost shut and a pronounced gash could be seen on the back of his slightly balding head. The wounds are from his run-in with the dump truck which sent him to Elliot Hospital on the night of the murders. Bernard remained at Elliot Hospital for two days after his head injury, considered in good condition during his stay. Bernard was then sent to New Hampshire Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Concord, where he was arrested on Sunday, Oct. 17, for three counts of causing death by stabbing.

Keshen said Bernard seemed overwhelmed by the charges and that he loved his sister and her two children.

“When you see someone accused of something like this you look in their eyes and expect to see the face of evil,” Keshen said. “You don’t see that look in Chris’s eyes.”

Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Strelzin said little in answer to a barrage of questions. Strelzin said every case works its own timeline and that a combination of factors contributed to the amount of time it took to charge Bernard with the murders.

No one could answer the most important question: Why? An old neighbor who grew up with the Bernards, fueled by that question, came to the arraignment seeking answers.

A MOTHER’S GRIEF– Christopher Bernard’s mother watched from the court seating during the approximately 15-minute proceeding. (Associated Press Photo)

Heidi Dubois said Bernard was always a great kid and a wonderful schoolmate and friend. She said she hadn’t spoken to him in years, but remembered playing with him at his parents’home at 67 Johnson St. Bernard bought a house a few driveways down at 61 Johnson St., where the victims’ bodies were discovered.

“He was a really great guy,” Dubois said. “I am just dumbfounded over the entire situation.”

Dubois remembers Tricia Doyle as a little girl full of beauty with gorgeous, curly hair.

The probable-cause hearing is set for Friday, Oct. 29, at Manchester District Court.