‘It hurts every day:’ Loved-ones of Leominster native killed in Vegas triple murder await justice

LEOMINSTER, Mass. — Friends and family of a Leominster native killed in a Las Vegas triple murder last summer are eagerly awaiting justice in what is now a death penalty trial.

Chris Brassard, 45, was a maintenance worker at a Vegas apartment complex when last June he and a coworker conducted a welfare check on an 80-year-old resident.

Prosecutors say 30-year-old Spencer McDonald, who lived with his grandmother, attacked Brassard and his coworker when they entered the unit, fatally stabbing Brassard.

Police would also find the bodies of McDonald’s grandmother, Dina Vail, and her boyfriend, Andrew Graden, bludgeoned and stabbed, inside the apartment. Police say McDonald confessed to the crimes.

“There’s a special part of us that isn’t with us anymore, and it hurts every day,” Brassard’s cousin Allyssa Carlberg told Boston 25 News. “Chris has always been one of the funniest people that I’ve known. His laughter and his smile was contagious, and sometimes when I close my eyes I can still hear him.”

One of Brassard’s best friends, Mathew Cormier, a buddy since middle school, described his longtime friend as a hardcore Boston Bruins fan who named his dog Neely after the retired right wing, as well as a dedicated friend and family member.

While Brassard made a new network of friends after moving to Vegas, he remained close with his hometown pals in Massachusetts through visits and calls to check in, Cormier said. Since Brassard’s death, his friends from Nevada have visited Massachusetts and the two groups have friends have bonded and grieved together.

“If you were having a bad day or anything was bothering you, a quick five-minute phone call [with Chris] and your head was back in the game,” Cormier said. “It’s heartbreaking, because even now, it’s been a little over six months, and nothing’s gotten easier.”

McDonald is due in court for a pretrial hearing in April, with a trial date postponed to March 2025.

“None of us want to wait that long,” Cormier said. “That’s a long time, especially with somebody who admitted to what he did.”

As prosecutors announce they are seeking the death penalty for McDonald, both Cormier and Carlberg are undecided as to what they believe a fitting punishment would be.

“A lot of people want capital punishment – the death penalty. Some people want him to be in jail, because that might be worse for him,” Cormier said. “I’m kind of up in the air. I really don’t know… Whatever would be worse for him is what I want.”

Meanwhile, Brassard’s friends and family have held a celebration of life and continue to share stories about him, determined to keep his memory alive.

“I’m looking for justice, and I want Chris’s memory out there,” Carlberg said. “I don’t want people to forget who he is or who he was as a person.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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