Man sentenced to serve 30 years to life in prison for 2023 stabbing death

MANCHESTER, NH – Robert Eastman was sentenced Monday to 30 years to life in prison for the stabbing death of Laurie MacLellan, 59, described as a mother, grandmother and kind soul, who died from the 24 knife wounds he inflicted.

Eastman, 56, who was homeless at the time of the killing, was MacLellan’s on-again, off-again boyfriend of 10 years.  He stabbed her to death in her 297 Hanover St. apartment on June 14, 2023 and then tried to clean up himself and the crime scene, leaving blood smear marks on the floor and blood in the kitchen sink for detectives to uncover in their investigation.

In Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District on Monday Eastman pleaded guilty to four charges: second-degree murder for recklessly causing MacLellan’s death; two counts of falsifying physical evidence, and one charge of driving after being certified a habitual offender.

Judge Amy Messer sentenced Eastman to 30 years to life in prison, the sentence recommended by the state. Eastman could reduce that by two years if he 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. Those sentences are all suspended for 10 years, beginning on the date Eastman is released on the second-degree murder charge, and are to be served consecutive to the second-degree murder charge and concurrent with each other.

Eastman also received 663 days of pre-trial confinement credit.

After the murder, Eastman fled the crime scene in MacLellan’s black Honda and drove to Merrimack where he met his nephew at the Rapid Refill gas station.

At the time, Eastman was covered in blood and when his nephew asked him what happened, he told him “I fucked up,” according to state prosecutor Alex Kellermann.  He then admitted to stabbing MacLellan.  When Merrimack police arrived, Eastman denied killing MacLellan and instead said he got bloodied at work.  He also insisted he hadn’t driven her car.

Merrimack police contacted Manchester police to report a domestic incident at MacLellan’s residence.  When officers arrived at the Hanover Street apartment, they found MacLellan dead.

Kellermann said she had 24 stab wounds to her face, neck, chest and abdomen.  She had been stabbed with a kitchen knife with a nine-inch blade.

Brandon MacLellan and Nicole MacLellan, MacLellan’s children, both gave victim impact statements.  Brandon MacLellan said his mother was a “kind soul” who endured Eastman’s “constant abuse” which “cost her her life.”

He said Eastman was a “foul, disgusting man” who “will hopefully live out the rest of his life behind bars where he belongs.”

Nicole MacLellan, in a loud voice, said it was insane that he stabbed her mother 24 times and then “you left her lying there” and didn’t try to help her.

“May you rot in prison and never see daylight again,” she said.  “You’re a waste of space and I hope all your family knows that.”

Eastman had written a statement which he started to read but handed it off to his defense attorney to read for him.  In it, he apologized to MacLellan’s family and said he hated himself for what he did.

He said MacLellan was “an amazing woman” who didn’t deserve what happened.  “I am so, so sorry,” he said.

As Eastman was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, one of MacLellan’s family members yelled out, “Got to hell, Eastman.”

New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella, in a prepared statement, said the guilty plea and sentence sends “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.”

Formella also expressed his 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.”