March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Bader murder trial delayed> N.H. lawyer allegedly disposed of ex-wife’s body in Maine

BRENTWOOD, N.H. — The trial of Seth Bader, a Stratham lawyer accused of killing his ex-wife and disposing of her body in Maine, has been delayed again.

Following a closed-door session Monday, Rockingham County Superior Court Judge Walter Murphy postponed the trial until March 10. Jury selection had been scheduled to begin next week.

During the hearing, several court records related to the case were sealed. Prosecutors and defense lawyers would not comment about the contents of the records.

Barbara Taylor, Bader’s civil lawyer, said the records were sealed at the “request of the court.”

“Everybody is trying to be careful of Seth’s rights,” Taylor said. “Seth would like to have over with as soon as possible.”

Police say Bader, 37, killed Vicki Bader in August 1996 when she arrived at his home to drop off their 3-year-old son for a visit.

The couple’s adopted son, Joseph, who was 14 at the time, led police to Vicki Bader’s body in the Maine woods last April. Seth Bader is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He is being held in jail on $750,000 cash bail.

Jury selection initially was scheduled for Oct. 29, but was delayed after state prosecutors said they could not try the case because they were still trying to secure the testimony of some potential witnesses.

Four weeks ago, a Medford, Mass., man, who is accused of helping plant a pipe bomb in Vicki Bader’s mailbox several months before her death, agreed to testify against Seth Bader and his former girlfriend, Mary Jean Martin. In exchange, Sebastian Caradonna, 51, was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge.

Sandros Stuto, 22, of Everett, Mass., also cut a deal with prosecutors in November. He agreed to plead guilty to helping Bader dispose of his ex-wife’s body. Prosecutors agreed to drop charges against him of conspiracy to commit murder and possession of a pipe bomb.

Both men said that in exchange for payments from Bader, they harassed Vicki Bader in the months before her death, shooting out her windows, planting a pipe bomb in her mailbox and slashing her tires.


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