Man accused of shooting Hadley farmer remains jailed

By JAMES PENTLAND

Staff Writer

Published: 03-28-2023 4:49 PM

NORTHAMPTON — The man accused of shooting a Hadley farmer Dec. 31 will remain in jail following a brief arraignment Tuesday in Hampshire Superior Court.

Marc A. Veturis, 28, of Waterbury, Connecticut, through his attorney, Francis Dimento Jr., did not contest his continued detention at the Hampshire County House of Correction as his case was moved up from Eastern Hampshire District Court. A pretrial hearing was set for June 8.

Northwestern Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Suhl said the ruling was made without prejudice, meaning that Veturis can petition to be released on bail if he chooses.

Veturis faces several charges, including armed assault with a firearm with intent to murder, assault and battery by discharging a firearm, and attempting to commit a kidnapping with a firearm.

He had been jailed following his arrest in January pending a dangerousness hearing. That hearing was never held, Suhl said, because Veturis did not contest his detention.

According to the Hadley Police report, Veturis is in a relationship with the ex-girlfriend of the farmer, Bruce Jenks.

Jenks was sentenced to eight to nine years in prison after being convicted of repeatedly stabbing the woman at their Northampton home in July 2000. The attack left her in a coma for three days. She also lost a kidney and her spleen.

After the New Year’s Eve incident, Jenks told Hadley police that Veturis had confronted him previously, in April.

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On New Year’s Eve, Veturis went into the Mill Valley Store and asked for jumper cables, which an employee gave him, according to court documents.

Jenks then used his own truck to help jump-start the vehicle Veturis was driving. As Jenks was returning the jumper cables to the bed of the truck, he told police, Veturis grabbed him by his wrist with one hand as he brandished a black gun in the other.

“At this time, Jenks immediately recognized the male subject as the person with whom he had a previous confrontation,” police reported.

“The male subject stated, ‘you’re coming with me’ multiple times. Jenks responded by saying, ‘I’m not going anywhere.’ The male subject put the gun to Jenks’ chest and said, ‘do you want a hollow point in your chest?’ ”

Veturis then fired three shots, according to court documents, with one bullet striking Jenks in the shoulder, and all of the bullets hitting a barn at 102 Mill Valley Road.

Veturis was arrested after Jenks provided police a photo of his vehicle’s license plate that had been taken during the April confrontation.

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