Fourth suspect pleads in case of slain Vt. man

NORTH HAVERHILL (AP) — A New Hampshire man charged in the murder of a developmentally disabled Wal-Mart cashier who’d been flirting with his girlfriend admits he helped plan the attack.

Nineteen-year-old Michael Robie was originally charged with conspiracy to commit murder but pleaded guilty Monday to four lesser charges in exchange for a 20-to-40-year prison term.

The girlfriend was one of three people to plead guilty last month in the October 2008 stabbing of 25-year-old Christopher Gray, of Groton, Vt.

Robie, who was behind bars on an unrelated charge when the killing occurred, was captured plotting the attack on jail recordings of his telephone conversations. He pleaded guilty to assault, conspiracy to commit assault and other charges.