NH men in home invasion due for sentencing

[April 04, 2011]  NASHUA, N.H. (AP) -- Two teens who helped plan a deadly home invasion in New Hampshire, but played no role in the machete attacks on a mother and her daughter, are expected to be sentenced Monday to decades in prison.

William Marks and Quinn Glover, both 19 and from Amherst, struck plea deals with the state and agreed to provide information and testimony.

Prosecutors have said Glover intended to make chloroform a day before the invasion, and Marks testified he covered his ears as the victims pleaded for their lives.

Glover's deal calls for a 20-year sentence on his convictions for robbery and burglary. Marks will plead guilty Monday to being an accomplice to murder, and conspiracy to commit murder and burglary. His plea agreement calls for a 30-year sentence.

Glover testified against both Steven Spader, who wielded the machete in the nighttime attacks in Mont Vernon, and Christopher Gribble, who stabbed Jaimie repeatedly and plunged his knife into Kim Cates' throat. Marks testified against Spader only.

Spader gave Glover a recipe for making chloroform the day before the home invasion, but they were missing key ingredients to carry out that aspect of the plan. The two also exchanged text messages while planning the crimes and arranging to pick up Glover at his house prior to the Oct. 4, 2009 attack.

Glover and Marks both testified they did not enter the bedroom while the attacks on the Cates were taking place. Glover said he put his hands over his ears but could not block out the pleas and screams of the victims.

Marks said he re-entered the bedroom in time to see Gribble plunge his knife into Kimberly Cates' throat.

Both Glover and Marks testified they did nothing to stop the attacks.

Spader was convicted of first-degree murder and other felonies in November. On March 25, a jury rejected Gribble's insanity defense and convicted him on all counts. Both are serving life sentences without possibility of parole.

David Cates, Kim's husband and Jaimie's father, gave victim impact statements before both Spader and Gribble were sentenced. If he so chooses, he can make statements before Monday's sentencings.

No sentencing date has been set for Autumn Savoy of Hollis, who was not at the house. He agreed to provide an alibi for Spader and Gribble, saying they spent the night at his house. He also helped them throw evidence into the Nashua River.

[Associated Press; By LYNNE TUOHY]

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