February 23, 2021
BOSTON (AP) A New Hampshire man facing a murder charge in the fatal stabbing of his brother-in-law in a Boston hotel last weekend has been held without bail.
Ren Rodgers, 23, of Hollis, New Hampshire, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Monday.
Rodgers stabbed Christopher Kellar in the back at Hotel Indigo near North Station at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a statement from the Suffolk district attorney’s office.
Rodgers and his wife had gone out to dinner with Kellar and his girlfriend to celebrate the victim’s 21st birthday and his sister’s birthday, prosecutors said. Rodgers is married to Kellar’s sister.
While celebrating Kellar s 21st birthday and the birthday of Rodgers wife, the ADA told the court that Kellar and his sister became involved in a verbal altercation.
Kellar left the hotel room with his belongings but later returned to retrieve additional items shortly before 11:30 p.m., prosecutors said in court, at which point the altercation continued and Kellar began pushing his sister.
At that point, Rodgers is accused of stabbing the unarmed Kellar in the back with a knife.
Kellar was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Prosecutors said Rodgers remained at the hotel until Boston police officers arrived.
A New Hampshire man charged with fatally stabbing a longtime friend at a Boston hotel Saturday acted to defend himself, his wife, and the victim’s girlfriend, his lawyer said Tuesday.