'When my buddy came outside, he hacked him up'

Tristan Wolusky

DOVER, N.H. - The Rochester woman alleged to have conspired with murder suspect Tristan Wolusky to convince a co-defendant in the killing of Aaron Wilkinson to withhold his testimony against Wolusky said she hadn't set out to tamper with witnesses, only to help her friend.

In a recorded Feb. 28 jailhouse phone call between Alexandria Wyant, who stands charged with one felony count of witness tampering, and Wolusky, he says he's innocent.

When Wyant asks him what happens the night of the murder, he says, "I was at my buddy's house and the other kid that went there with me hid in the woods and when my buddy came outside, he hacked him up ... I can honestly tell you me and my buddy had nothing to do with it. That kid is blaming us, it's a real (expletive) up situation."

Wolusky, 19, of 46 Lowell St. in Rochester, Zachary D.J. Pinette, 19, of of 58 Rankin St., Springvale, Maine; and Michael Tatum, 21, of 236 Young Road, Barrington, N.H., are all accused in the death that occurred June 21, 2014, in the driveway of Wilkinson's Madbury home.

Pinette and Tatum have already reached plea deals of second-degree murder in exchange for their testimony against Wolusky, who faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of first-degree murder.

Wyant said she put money in Tatum's inmate account so he could call her to set up a visit.

Prosecutors also entered into evidence several notes taken by Wyant to remember what Wolusky wanted her to tell Tatum.

One note said, "nothing on this piece of paper says you have to do anything. No one is telling you what to do." The note went on to say if Tatum testifies (against Wolusky) he would get life in prison and if he didn't, he would no longer be a "rat" and would "get his life back." Another note seems to implicate Pinette. It reads, "Tell Mike not to testify because he didn't stab Aaron. Tell his lawyer to tell my lawyer he won't testify. I'll make sure no one calls him a rat."

In another phone call between Wolusky and Wyant, Wolusky says, ""You better not show up in court against me."

"I'm not a snitch," she says.

There was no indication that Wyant ever tried to contact Pinette on behalf of Wolusky.

Defense lawyers will continue their cross-examination of Wyant today.

The trial is expected to continue another two weeks.