Wolusky said a longtime buddy of victim

Michael Tatum, with defense counsel, at his court hearing on Monday at Dover District Court. (Harrison Thorp/Lebanon Voice photos)

DOVER, N.H. - More details emerged on Monday about the relationships between the Madbury teen brutally stabbed to death last month and the three men charged with his murder.

The public may have been anxious to hear more about how Michael Tatum, 21, of Barrington, N.H., Tristan Wolusky, 18, of Rochester, and Zachary D.J. Pinette, of Sprigvale, Maine, are alleged to have committed the crime, but prosecutors were never pressed to tell the court more about the case as Pinette and Tatum both waived probable cause, while Wolusky’s hearing was rescheduled to later in the month because his defense counsel was unavailable.

However, outside the second-floor courtroom after the hearing, a mutual friend of Aaron Wilkinson, 18, and the three suspects shed light on the nature of the four young men’s relationship.

“Wolusky went to school with Aaron, they were pretty close, at least when we were younger,” said Jess Twombley of Dover. “They had somewhat grown apart, but were still seeing each other occasionally.”

The suspects are accused of killing Wilkinson sometime around 1:30 a.m. June 21 on the property of his 36 Evans Road home.

Tristan Wolusky stands per order of the judge during his court hearing on probable cause on Monday.

According to the criminal complaint it is alleged that Pinette held “a machete as Tatum and/or Wolusky stabbed Aaron Wilkinson with knives and the machete Pinette had been holding.”

The trio allegedly then dumped the body on Long Swamp Road in Lebanon, Maine, where it was found later in the day. 

If Wolusky and his attorney decide not to waive their probable cause hearing, more details about the brutal slaying may become available, but for now arrest affidavits will remain sealed, Senior Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Strelzin said after the hearing.

The three suspects remain jailed on no bail at the Strafford County House of Correction. They face life in prison.

The four young men could have come together for the first time at the Great Bay eLearning Charter School in Exeter, N.H., which they all attended for a period of time. Wilkinson appears to have been there the longest, attending for about three years, while the others are thought to have been there shorter periods of time.

Jess Twombley of Dover calls what the three suspects did to someone they knew "so sickening."

Twombley said she would often see all or one or two of the suspects when picking up Wilkinson to hang out with her.

She said all four of the young men, along with her and other friends would meet up to go out and get pizza, play video games, make food or watch movies.

She said she, herself, didn’t know Pinette or Tatum very well, but she knew Wolusky very well.

“We think of how good Aaron was, and don’t understand how people who really knew him could do this to him,” she said choking back a quiet sob. “But Tristan knew him very well. It’s so sickening.”

She said she saw Wilkinson for the last time the week before his death.

“He came over to hang out and visit with myself, my husband and my daughter. He was fine. He was himself. He was happy,” she said.