Richard Monroe, 24, was arrested this month in Texas after a 2½-year investigation.
Prosecutors allege Monroe killed Kevin DeOliveira, 23, a student at the University of Vermont whom they say was Monroe’s primary cocaine supplier. Monroe was a student at Champlain College.
In addition to murder, the indictment charges Monroe with conspiring to sell at least 500 grams of cocaine in Burlington between 2014 and 2015 with co-defendant Zachary Hust; carrying drugs in connection with drug dealing; and robbing two people at gunpoint for a small amount of marijuana and cash.
Monroe responded in a calm voice to Judge John Conroy’s questions during his arraignment Thursday.
Conroy agreed to give Monroe’s attorney more time to prepare a response to the government’s motion for Monroe to be imprisoned pending his trial. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan wrote in her motion that Monroe poses a danger to the community and there are no conditions under which he should be released.
“Monroe killed Kevin in cold blood over a $6,000 drug debt,” Nolan wrote in the motion for detention. “He arrived at Kevin’s residence in the morning and knocked on the door. Kevin answered in his boxers, unaware that he was about to take his last breath.
“Monroe immediately executed Kevin, the bullet making entry in the area of Kevin’s left eye. Multiple witnesses describe Monroe as an aggressive individual, who did not tolerate perceived disrespect, and had a keen interest in guns. The public is not safe from Monroe. He is capable of taking life over a grudge or perceived slight.”
The judge scheduled a hearing on the detention motion for July 6. Nolan said the prosecution would have an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives testify.
Monroe’s defense attorney, Mark Kaplan, requested at least 90 days to file pretrial motions, because both sides said they expect voluminous discovery in the case. That means a trial wouldn’t start before the fall.
Nolan said discovery would be “very substantial” and would include forensic evidence, search warrants, statements of the defendant and 2½ years worth of police reports.
