By Steven H. Foskett Jr. TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF Mr. Labonte’s lawyer was in court yesterday morning, calling out into the courtroom several times looking for Mr. Labonte. He told Judge Losapio that his client was aware he was supposed to be in court.
SUTTON— A longtime town official who was due in court yesterday on rape charges was found dead yesterday morning in the woods behind his home.
It appeared that Richard A. Labonte, 63, of 445 Putnam Hill Road, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Timothy J. Connolly, a spokesman for Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. Further information was unavailable last night.
Uxbridge District Court officials said yesterday that Judge Paul A. Losapio dismissed the six charges of rape against Mr. Labonte because the defendant had died.
Authorities milled about in Mr. Labonte’s backyard yesterday in the picturesque center of Manchaug and went back and forth into a wooded area behind the house. About 1 p.m., a hearse drove down into the backyard. Friends and family members at the scene declined to comment, and wept and hugged each other as the hearse drove away.
Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle referred questions about the death to the district attorney’s office.
Mr. Labonte, a member of the Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee and a former selectman, was scheduled to be arraigned yesterday morning in Uxbridge District Court on charges that he raped a 16-year-old boy from April through October 1992 in his home. Authorities provided few specifics regarding the charges. Mr. Labonte was retired and had worked at the Worcester County sheriff’s office.
Contacted by telephone Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Labonte vehemently denied the charges and said he was being smeared because he had recently evicted the alleged victim, whom he knew as a boy, from an apartment he rented out.
Mr. Labonte’s lawyer was in court yesterday morning, calling out into the courtroom several times looking for Mr. Labonte. He told Judge Losapio that his client was aware he was supposed to be in court. He left the courtroom not long before local police, along with state police detectives, converged on Mr. Labonte’s home.
Jerry Dresser, of 446 Putnam Hill Road, raked leaves in his side yard across the street yesterday afternoon. He said he was aware of what happened yesterday, but did not know much about the charges that Mr. Labonte faced. He said Mr. Labonte was a good neighbor and that he did a lot for the Manchaug area in which he lived.
“I just saw him a couple days ago,” Mr. Dresser said. “We talked about when the spring was going to finally come.”
He said Mr. Labonte was an active member of the American Legion post and was a key organizer of the annual Memorial Day Parade.
“Rick had a lot to do with a lot of good things,” Mr. Dresser said.
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