A man has pleaded not guilty to beating his wife to death with a baseball bat in front of their children in their Massachusetts home — two days after a restraining order was filed against her.
Richard Hanson, 64, was covered in blood splatter at their family home on Brookline Street in Newton when police discovered his wife Nancy, 54, unconscious from blunt force trauma in one of their children’s bedrooms.
One of Richard and Nancy’s sons called 911 and was heard yelling ‘Dad stop, you’re killing him’, as he allegedly beat her with a bat on Saturday night.
The father ignored his son’s pleas and continued until his wife passed out, prosecutors allege.
An autopsy revealed mother-of-three Nancy suffered a broken arm, several broken ribs, blunt force trauma to her skull and a bruised torso.
Richard Hanson, 64, (left) was arrested after he was found covered in blood at their family home in Brookline Street, Newton, before his wife Nancy, 54, (right) discovered one of their children unconscious from blunt force trauma. the bedroom
Nancy, 54, allegedly saw her children screaming to call the police while her husband was beating her with a baseball bat. Police rescued him and took him to hospital where he died on Saturday night
In court today, prosecutors revealed the wife called police two days ago to get a restraining order, but authorities were unable to serve her with it.
There was also an order against him in 2021, which he violated. Richard and Nancy Hanson have been married since 2001.
Police have charged him with first degree murder, assault and battery on a family member, armed assault with intent to murder and battery with serious bodily injury.
Prosecutor Megan McGovern said police received two 911 calls at 8:21 p.m., one from a child inside the home and the other from a friend of Nancy Hanson.
The young man told police ‘his father was beating his mother with a baseball bat.’
Nancy yelled at her children to call the police during the ordeal, McGovern said.
The couple’s three sons were all home at the time, prosecutors said.
The 17-year-old, who called 911, was downstairs with two younger children, ages 15 and 11, while their parents fought upstairs.
Meanwhile, the friend who also called 911 was on the phone with Nancy when the fight broke out.
According to the prosecutor, Nancy’s friend ‘heard the phone drop and then several loud bangs in the background, along with the children shouting, ‘Dad stop, you’re killing him.’
Hanson told police at the scene that his wife was cheating on him and expressed that he ‘couldn’t believe she did it’, according to prosecutors.
A son, who was crying, led police to one of their bedrooms, where they found the mother with a head wound, the court heard.
A baseball bat and a blood-weighted bar were found near his unconscious body. He later died in hospital.
Nancy and Richard Hanson with their three children. They were all at home when their mother fainted
Their children have now been taken into the custody of the Department of Children and Families.
Hanson is being held without bail.
The Newton MA Police Department said in a statement last night: ‘Yesterday, at approximately 8:21 a.m. a juvenile inside the home called 911 to report an assault in progress.
‘Upon arrival police located Ms Hanson suffering from apparent blunt force trauma.
‘He was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he died.
‘A preliminary investigation revealed that Richard Hanson allegedly struck his wife multiple times with one or more objects during a physical altercation.
‘The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and the cause of death was blunt force trauma. We expect additional charges.
‘On July 13, 2023, a restraining order was issued against Mr. Hanson in Newton District Court, which Newton police attempted to serve.
‘Mr. Hanson was arraigned last night and is being held without bail pending his arraignment in Newton District Court tomorrow.
‘This is an open and ongoing investigation assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police Detectives from the District Attorney’s Office and Newton Police.’
After violating his 2021 restraining order, Hanson was placed on pre-trial probation on the condition that he attend alcohol counseling and not assault Nancy Hanson.
In 2020, Nancy was arrested on a domestic violence charge after she allegedly kicked her husband during an argument.
They were fighting over how Nancy was teaching a Zumba course online while working in her home office.
Nancy was a popular and well-liked exercise instructor in the local area, according to those who knew her.
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