YOUR COMMENTS

This last addition to the horrible Cates attack and murder may be indicted, but not necessarily convicted. He does appear involved and to have done some wrong. However, he waived the probable cause hearings. The story I have is presented through the eyes of the prosecution, an angry prosecution. I am interested to know the actual degree of this person's involvement over the alleged degree before I would want him punished. The Cate's family deserves the truth in the entire matter, but all parties deserve the truth.
- P Chambers, New York

I agree with you Dexter....they let the sex offenders and rapists out in a few years on good behavior...people who rape and hurt our little children, just to do it again and again and yet again!! We need to take a long look at our priorities in this country.....child rapists, sex trade of women, children and boys, rapists and any violent crime against another human(unless done in self defense) should be a life sentence..you can not tell me people who rape little children and rape women can be rehabilitated?!?! But drug dealers, pot growers, tax evaders and stupid tuff like that get many years in prison....wake up America and lets change things together!!!!!
- shannon, Amherst, Nh

I know the monsters who did the horrible act should be to blame, but in our precious little society where we let our children basically run their own lives and parents try to be their friends instead of giving their children consequences to their actions...also parents are not involved with their childrens(teens) lives enough either. I am a parent and I make sure where my children are and who they are hanging around with and if they do not like it....they do not get the ride, they do not get anything except clothes food and shelter period!! All of the time my teens have their friends over...not one calls me to meet me first or check anything out???? And this father of Marks actually saw the knife of the kid who he supposedly did not like the day of the murders and he said what was I supposed to do??? Just like the Columbine killers parents DO YOUR JOB...ask questions get in their face, actually pay ATTENTION and care where your children are at all hours of the night????? Until we do our part as parents unfortunately this will happen more and more!!!! Our children do not have jobs or income we enable them to do whatever it is that they are doing, and I know ALL of these boys still lived at home with their parents which is the norm now a days...children seem to be staying at home longer and longer with no ambition to do anything, then again why would they??? They have no consequences to their actions and the parents just feel guilty for working to much or not paying enough attention so they keep buying and enbling the behavior...nough said!!
- Shannon, Amherst, NH

I agree with Melanie, How dare anyone blame his actions on his mother. How was she supposed to know that her sons friends commited murder. Thats completly unfair to his family to blame his actions on anyone but him. Get realistic people- you konow some day it could be your kids on the chopping block and would you want to be blamed for your childs mistake!? Hes 20 yrs old not a child by any means, His failure to report his friends has no relavance to his mother or how she raised him. Have a little sense here.
- JE, Manchester NH

Very simple. Five murdering punks- five lethal injections.
- Bill, Manchester

what he participated in was such a gross and horrific tragedy and he deserves what he gets all the way.

i don't understand how all of you adults can sit there and try to blame the parents. i know a lot of people who have tried everything to raise their children correctly and the 'right' way; kids sneak out, they lie and eventually they do what they want. and just because a person has tattoos and piercings doesn't automatically make them a horrific person. i understand that most of you are from a different generation, but with that knowledge you should know kids today are smarter and more responsible. so let this kid take responsibility for what he did and justice will find him, it may not be what everyone wants in the end but he will have to live with this for the rest of his life and hopefully be put in prison.
- jessica, nh

I think you are all missing a very big point: the kid's name is Autumn. Isn't that a girl's name?

He'll be okay in prison. He be told to do things....and he will, because he wasn't man enough to stand up and do what was right.

Who would give their son a girl's name, and expect more than this?
- Melvin, Keene

The real issue here is that children and some adults are not responsible for their own actions. If you make a decision you are responsible and accountable for the end results, good or bad. You also assume the potential risks and outcomes of your choices. The above story illustrates that this lesson was never learned.
- doreen davison, londonderry, nh

This kid better get off and stay out of trouble.

I don't think having a name like "Autumn" is going to serve him well in prison.
- Max, Manchester

Patrick, Berlin ... strange attitude for someone who lives in the prison capital of NH. Let's see, there's a state prison, a federal prison being built and talk of a women's prison. Sounds like prisons are pretty popular where you live. However, I can agree that too many are imprisoned in the U.S. But by that I mean too many nonviolent criminals locked up. Guys involved in any way with a crime like this grisly murder need plenty of time behind bars.
- Dexter, Grand Bois

BA-Again with the excuses...you are most likely using the same type of parenting skills that the Savoy parents used...respect my child's privacy....let them stay out until all hours of the night...allow them to rule the roost. The pathetic father who saw the knife and said "what can I do?" The signs were all there yet no action was taken. Rule #1..my house, my rules, you turn 18 and you don't like my rules, move out, make your own choices and live with the consequences. The parents are and will continue to share the blame for these
- john, derry

So he had a history of drug use and committed a hate crime.. why am I NOT surprised that he was choosing to associate with others who clearly do not respect others.

I'm not really sure where the sympathy comes from.

A little girl lost her mother and was slit open with a machete.

He didn't have the common decency to go to the authorities even when the murderers were locked up. Why was he scared then?

There is a pattern of behavior that is outside the norms of our society. Let's stop excusing it while there is still time. If Mr. Savoy had had real consequences, instead of negotiated pleas, perhaps he would have learned to choose a circle of friends with respect for human life.
- Sharon, Manchester

"..they should consider that and let him go on probation."

Sorry, but this is very soft-headed thinking. Savoy agreed to help his chums cover up a planned burglary. That was his first major mistake and that alone is justification for harsh punishment, not to mention Savoy's colorful criminal record. If Savoy had refused to participate in this crime, it may never have happened, but clearly he was in favor of someone's house being burglarized.

Second, even if he was literally scared for his life when the killers showed up at his house, it is understandable that he may have felt he had no choice but to help hide evidence, however, as soon as he was no longer in the company of the killers he should have been on the horn to police. Mistake number two.

His third mistake was continuing to cover up the crime while being interviewed by police, showing no compassion for the victims. This is a young man who cares only about himself. Pull him out of society for awhile (he should have been doing time even before the killing took place, but for whatever reason the judges kept giving him chances).
- Jose H., Manchester, NH

The absolute best people and parents in the world have kids that go wrong. The parents are not to blame. The kid is PERIOD.

A lot of you think you know what your kids are doing and who their with all the time.

I got news for ya, you don't and you can only hope and pray that they don't get caught up with the wrong crowd.
- BA, Derry

OKAY PEOPLE!!!! Let's not forget the victims in this horrible, disgusting act of violence. There is a scared little girl who witnessed her mother being brutally murdered by sociopathic sub human "kids". As a civilized society, these animals must be locked away from society Patrick. While your children are playing soccer, Jaime Cates is void of any justice...come on! Parents, wake up and know what your children are doing: drugs, listening to "horrorcore" music w/morbid lyrics, hanging with wrong crowd....put yourself in the shoes of the victims and stop making excuses.
- john, derry

Well, we are a prison nation, we should hang up over one billion served over our court houses. And all of you clowns buy into it, i dont want my tax dollars going to feed a sniviling kid that wasnt even around when the crime took place. We have more poeple in prison than any other country and they profit off of our tax dollars that could go to schools so i dont need to PAY MONEY SO MY KID CAN PLAY SOCCER!
- Patrick, berlin

Probation?? No way. That's absurd, Patricia.

His "friends" came to him and CONFESSED--to a MURDER. At the point he (allegedly) made the very conscious decision to NOT call the police or 911 and report it, he sealed his fate. Then, he (allegedly) participated in the attempted cover up of the crime.

How could he NOT know that helping his buddies cover up a murder is wrong? He just did what he's told?? Fine, then he deserves whatever happens at his trial.

Probation?!? I think not.
- William Smith, Manchester, NH

HE was scared seriously put your self in his shoes for a min your buddy just killed someone tells you about it and shows up at your house im sure the only thing going through his mind is if i dont help im next... they should consider that and let him go on probation
- patricia, MANCHESTER

Mariah--sentiment received, but this occurred in neighboring Mont Vernon, not New Boston.
- JB, NB, NH

If one of my friends came to me and told me they killed someone, the only help I would give them is drive them to the police station to turn themselves in. He knew very well what was going on it was all over the news. How could he help these monsters. He deserves the maximum penalty!
- summer, manchester

The New Boston tragedy is horrible and my heart goes out to the families affected.

I just wish (some) folks could understand that even the best of parents can fail to shape the best of kids and be more merciful.
- Mariah, Nashua

I can undertstand being scared. If someone killed someone and told you about it, the last thing you say to them is your going to call the police. I'd be fearfull of my life in that situation. However, after the arrests where made I would have told the police everything. However, if the police interviewed him before the arrest then I would still be scared for my life. The so call code of silence was a big problem in Charlestown back in the 80's-90's. If you talked to the police you to could be at the bottom of the Mystic River.
- Frank, Londonderry

I do not think it is fair to say "Apparently your mother didn't raise you right."

I'm sorry but I think it is time to stop blaming the parents every time someone does something wrong. Let the offender be held responsible for his actions. It is highly unlikely that he did not know he should call the police. HE made the CHOICE not to do so, not his mother.

I think it speaks volumes of the state and local police who have worked on this case that so many arrests have been made in such a short period of time. They deserve a lot of credit.

As for Autumn, he made serious choices that should come with serious punishment. I don't feel bad that he's being held on a high bail. I wouldn't feel bad if he was being held without bail.

No matter what we do as parents, short of chaining our kids to the home, we cannot be with them 24/7 and know every minute of every day who they are associating with and what they are doing. I like to think that I have taught my kids to make better decisions, but when it all comes down, they will either listen to what they were taught, or they will do what their friends are encouraging them to do.
- Melanie, Manchester, NH

Hey did you see this maggot crying with all those piercings? His parents should be proud. Until we get serious in dealing with these punks who think that society will provide for them and god forbid we punish them according to their crime instead of saying "poor baby, society made you do this" we will continue to see this stuff!
- Ray, Raymond

"I didn't know what to do.... I just did what I was told."

Didn't know what to do, huh? Apparently your mother didn't raise you right. I can understand your being scared when these (suspected) murderers showed up and asked you to "help" them but the moment they left, you should have called the cops. When they were arrested, you should have called the cops. But no, you didn't do either one, did you?

But hey, in a society that excuses everything away, why would anyone be surprised?
- Jim D, Hillsboro