Former executive charged with murder in NH crash that killed couple, unborn child

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

This booking photo provided by the Lebanon, N.H., Police Department Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013, shows Robert Dellinger, 53, of Sunapee, N.H. charged with manslaughter in the deaths of a Vermont couple who were expecting their first child in January 2014. Dellinger, a former Fortune 500 executive, told police he was depressed and aiming to kill himself when he drove his full-size pick-up truck across a grassy highway median on Dec. 7, became airborne and crushed to death the young couple. (AP Photo/Lebanon Police Department)

CONCORD, N.H. - A former Fortune 500 executive was charged Friday with second-degree murder in a crash that killed a young Vermont couple expecting their first child in January.

Attorney General Joseph Foster and state police announced upgraded charges against Robert Dellinger, 53, who lives in Sunapee and also maintains a home in Kansas.

Dellinger faces two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Jason Timmons, 29, and Amanda Murphy, 24, who was eight-months pregnant when she was killed.

Dellinger has said he was depressed and trying to kill himself Dec. 7 when he drove his full-size pickup across a grassy Interstate 89 median. Police say the truck became airborne and sheared off the top of the couple's car, killing them instantly. The unborn child also did not survive.

Dellinger suffered cuts on his head and face. Afterward, he was charged with two counts of reckless manslaughter in the Wilder couple's deaths while the prosecution contemplated more serious charges. He was freed on $250,000 cash bond and ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device and undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

On Friday, Dellinger was arrested at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Neither the prosecution nor the hospital said why he was there. His lawyer didn't immediately return messages seeking comment.

He has not been arraigned on the original charges. His arraignment on the new charges was set for Tuesday. A second-degree murder conviction carries up to life in prison.

Dellinger was not charged in the death of the unborn child. Former Gov. John Lynch in 2012 vetoed legislation that would have expanded the state's homicide laws to include the death of a fetus eight weeks or older.

Dellinger was senior vice-president and chief financial officer at PPG Industries Inc. before he left in 2011 because of health issues. He also held top-level posts at Sprint Corp., Delphi Corp. and General Electric Co.