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Accused killer of Bang N Jane drummer stays behind bars

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Seen here at an earlier court appearance, Eric Langlais was denied his request for personal recognizance bail on Monday. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

DOVER, N.H. - The man accused of killing Bang N Jane drummer Jim Unfonak with a single punch to the head outside a Rochester sports bar will remain behind bars on high bail after a judge ruled against his release on personal recognizance while awaiting possible indictment and trial.

Eric Langlais, 41, of 31 Lincoln Lane, Barnstead, through a public defender, claimed if he remained in prison he would lose his social security disability checks which are used in part to help support a teenage daughter.

But in the end Judge Mark Howard ruled that Langlais' $25,000 cash bail should be continued, in part due to his conviction several years ago for throwing an infant across a room. Langlais pleaded guilty in the 2004 assault, drawing an almost three-year-prison stay.

Bolstering his case that Langlais was a danger to the public, Assistant Strafford County attorney Tim Sullivan pointed out that Langlais was kicked out of a Dover bar for starting a confrontation hours before he arrived at Gary's Sport Bar in Rochester where the fatal encounter with Unfonak, 44, of Rochester occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 31.

Langlais is alleged to have punched Unfonak in the head as he was getting into a car in the parking lot of Gary's Sports Bar, using his "knockout" hand by Langlais' own admission, according to a police affidavit.

Also charged in the incident are two local women, Mandy Patch, 37, of Old Milton Road, Rochester; and Laurie Henner, 41, of Whitebirch Lane in Farmington; and another man, Forrest Rollins, 42, of Brook St. Rochester.

Patch was charged with one count of simple assault, a Class A misdemeanor and felony riot. She was released on $10,000 personal recognizance bail.

Henner was charged with one count of felony riot and also released on $10,000 personal recognizance.

Patch's simple assault charge was for allegedly hitting a female friend of Unfonak's at the scene.

Rollins is charged with simple assault in connection with an altercation inside Gary's Sports Bar the night Unfonak was fatally injured. The Lebanon Voice has subsequently learned through a source close to the investigation that the victim of that assault was Unfonak.

Rollins was also released on personal recognizance pending arraignment.

Langlais could face up to 30 years in prison for manslaughter, while the two women could face up to seven years on the riot charges. Meanwhile, Rollins faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

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