Robert Eastman Sentenced for the Murder of Laurie MacLellan

Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella and Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr announce that Robert Eastman (age 56), pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by the Hillsborough County Superior Court (Northern District) for the murder of Laurie MacLellan.
Mr. Eastman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after admitting that he recklessly caused Ms. MacLellan's death, with extreme indifference to the value of human life, by repeatedly stabbing her with a knife in her apartment in Manchester, NH on June 14, 2023. Mr. Eastman also pleaded guilty to two charges for his actions after the murder: one charge of falsifying physical evidence and one charge of driving while certified as a habitual offender.

"Today's guilty plea and sentence send a strong message that violent crime will not be tolerated in the Granite State. While we can never fully heal the pain endured by Ms. MacLellan's family, we hope this outcome provides them with a sense of relief and justice," said Attorney General Formella. "I would also like to express my gratitude to our trial team for their dedication and hard work in securing this conviction. Our office remains steadfast in holding offenders accountable and ensuring that those who break the law face the full consequences of their actions."

After hearing statements from Ms. MacLellan's family and friends, the Court sentenced Mr. Eastman to a term of incarceration of 30 years to life in state prison, with the possibility of 2 years suspended from the minimum sentence if Mr. Eastman remains of good behavior for the first five years of his sentence. The court imposed suspended sentences of 3.5 to 7 years on each of the falsifying physical evidence charges, and a suspended sentence of 2.5 to 5 years on the habitual offender charge. These sentences are all suspended for 10 years, beginning on the date of the defendant's release on the second-degree murder charge, and are to be served consecutive to the second-degree murder charge and concurrent with each other.