A Massachusetts man accused of killing his girlfriend, whose body was found at a Tewksbury apartment complex in September, faced a judge on Tuesday.
Eric Griffin, 40, of Tewksbury, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, strangulation and domestic assault and battery during his arraignment in Middlesex Superior Court. Griffin was indicted on the charges last month in the Sept. 15 death of his girlfriend 39-year-old Jennifer Kalicki, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's office.
Griffin was ordered held without bail and is due back in court in February.
In September, police were called to the couple's Archstone Avenue apartment, where authorities said Kalicki was found unresponsive in bed after suffering "significant injuries consistent with a physical assault." Kalicki was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later said Kalicki suffered injuries to her body, neck and head, which resulted in a fatal brain bleed.
Griffin had previously been indicted on domestic assault and battery and intimidation of a witness charges in connection with a previous assault on Kalicki in March 2019, prosecutors said. But those charges were dropped when authorities said Kalicki would not testify against him.
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Kalicki's mother, Kathy Gadd, said in September that her hatred for Griffin is what keeps her showing up to court.
"I have so much hate that I can do it. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to do it. But I have so much hate for him because she was a perfect girl, she really was, and she only wanted to help him and this is what she got for helping him," Gadd said outside of court.
Griffin and Kalicki had a tumultuous 2-year relationship according to Kalicki's family. Kalicki had reported to several people that she was emotionally and verbally abused by Griffin.
"He did it. There's no two ways about it. He did it. They can't deny it," Gadd said. "I know they are going to try because that's their job but he did it."
Friends of the victim have said they hope justice prevails.
"I think he's a coward basically. He's going to try and get away with it. But the evidence is going to show that he killed her," Kalicki's friend Samantha Bilotta said.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELP: Massachusetts provides this list of national, statewide and local resources for victims of domestic violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. Anyone who is in immediate danger or knows someone who is is urged to call 911.
