Concord Ledger

A 35-year-old New Hampshire man pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge after shooting his cousin to death.

Lance Goodrich of Lyme appeared at his arraignment at Grafton County Superior Court in North Haverhill, according to a statement from the office of state Attorney General John Formella. He did not speak at his arraignment, and his court-appointed lawyer entered the plea for him at the hearing. 

Police responding to a home on Route 10 in Orford at about 12:30 p.m. Nov. 20 found and identified the victim, according to U.S. News and World Report.

“Lance Goodrich was arrested on two murder charges, accused of killing Brooke Goodrich in Orford on Saturday," Concord NH Patch tweeted on Nov. 21.

According to WMUR9, the second charge was for reckless homicide.

U.S. News and World Report says authorities confirmed that the victim and the suspect are cousins. No motive for the killing was disclosed. Goodrich was taken into custody at about 4:30 p.m. Nov. 20 in Newport after a standoff with police.

"Certainly authorities worked very quickly to track Mr. Goodrich down and to take him into custody peacefully and without anyone being harmed in the process," Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoffrey Ward told WMUR9. "That is certainly what we hope for in scenarios like this."

According to U.S. News and World Report, an autopsy for the 25-year-old victim is scheduled.