Wolusky defense lawyer: Don't believe the 'rats'

Tristan Wolusky

DOVER, N.H. - The prosecution in the first-degree murder trial of Tristan Wolusky of Rochester painted the brutal killing of Madbury teen Aaron Wilkinson last summer as a botched robbery attempt, but defense lawyers argued the two other men with Wolusky that night were guilty of the crime, and now, like "rats," were willing to trade tainted testimony for their owns skins and shouldn't be trusted.

Opening statements in the highly anticipated trial began on Tuesday with the state laying out its case that Wolusky masterminded the plan to steal drugs and money from Wilkinson early the morning of June 21, 2014.

The other two defendants in the case, Zachary "D.J." Pinette, 19, of Springvale, Maine, and Michael Tatum, 22, of Barrington, N.H., have already agreed to plea deals of second degree murder with the state and are expected to testify against Wolusky in exchange for those 30-years-to-life sentences which allow for the possibility of parole.

Zachary 'D.J.' Pinette

Wolusky, 19, if convicted faces life in prison without parole.

The trio is alleged to have cornered Wilkinson in the driveway of his 36 Evans Road home in Madbury and stabbed him 22 times, including in the back of his head, neck and spine.

Michael Tatum

The trio allegedly than dumped Wilkinson's still-bleeding body in the trunk of Pinette's car and dumped it on the shoulder of Long Swamp Road in Lebanon.

The prosecution also showed jurors the knives and machete allegedly used in the slaying.

Mark Sisti, defense attorney for Wolusky, said his client admits to his role in the robbery, but it was Tatum and Pinette who fatally stabbed the Madbury teen.

"He didn't want to be involved with these two knuckleheads," Sisti said.

"They (Pinette and Tatum) are murderers. They slaughtered that kid," Sisti added, urging the jury not believe the word of "rats" Tatum and Pinette.

The trial continues on Thursday and is expected to run through mid-October.