DARK DOWNEAST: THE MURDER OF BERNARD EGOUNIS (NEW HAMPSHIRE)
Episode Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Kylie Low

Episode Overview

This episode of Dark Downeast investigates the unsolved 1983 murder of Bernard Egounis in Penacook, New Hampshire—a case that left ripples of doubt and fear through the small community and ultimately ended with a high-profile acquittal and lingering questions. Host Kylie Low narrates the intricate timeline, intertwining insights from local reporting, interviews with friends and witnesses, and details from the legal proceedings to examine the quest for justice in a case built mostly on circumstantial evidence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Discovery ([02:08])

• Setting: Penacook, New Hampshire, August 13, 1983.
• A teenager named Melvin finds a man face down near a park bench, blood pooled beneath him. Melvin enlists his friend Paul to notify police.
• The victim is identified as 53-year-old Bernard Egounis—a local, known for his kindness, generosity, and struggles with alcohol.
• The discovery shatters the calm of an ordinary Saturday, launching an investigation that will haunt the town.

2. Bernard Egounis: Life and Character ([04:00])

• Background: Born to Lithuanian immigrants, raised in Boscawen, Bernard ran "Bernie and Bev's Market" before personal struggles led to hard times.
• Described as "old-fashioned" and gentle: "He never used foul language around women... if a tussle started, Bernard would simply turn the other cheek and walk away." ([04:40])
• Frequently seen around town, generous to a fault despite limited means, frequently befriended younger townspeople.

3. Night of the Murder and Early Investigation ([06:50])

• Bernard cashes one or more paychecks, spends the evening at a local pizza place, possibly carrying cash.
• There are rumors—unsubstantiated by police—that teens had robbed Bernard previously and often congregated in the park where his body was found.
• Crime Scene: Bernard is found in his underwear, pants draped nearby, stabbed seven times in the chest. Time of death estimated between midnight and 6am.
• Missing signature corncob pipe initially seems a clue, as someone else is seen with it, but the lead dissolves.

4. The Focus Shifts to David Gray ([09:55])

• Multiple witnesses place Bernard with David Gray the night of the murder. Sightings include an argument and walking together near the scene; one witness reports seeing David with reddish stains on his shirt the next morning.
• Police question David, who initially denies seeing Bernard but eventually changes his account under pressure ("...maybe he did walk down the street with Bernard...").
• David provides his clothes voluntarily for testing; no physical evidence links him to the crime.

5. Arrest, Indictment, and Pre-Trial Struggles ([15:45])

• March 1984: After seven months, David Gray is arrested for second-degree murder, largely due to a jailhouse informant ("Ron") claiming David confessed.
• David has a slight criminal record but is generally considered mild-mannered and reliable.
• A potential self-defense legal strategy surfaces, possibly involving an alleged sexual advance or assault by Bernard, though this theory lacks backing.
• David's mental state becomes central: he is found temporarily incompetent to stand trial due to "moderately severe psychosis," leading to treatment and repeated evaluations. Eventually, he is deemed competent.

Notable Quote – On David's Condition ([18:50]):

"David suffered from a moderately severe psychosis, described as unable to follow a train of thought and prone to disjointed ideas about conspiracies against him." – Kylie Low

6. The Trial: State vs. David Gray ([21:00])

Prosecution Case

• Key Witness: Ron: Alleges David confessed to killing Bernard in self-defense after a confrontation and a crude insult.
  • Direct testimony: “I don’t know if it was the hit or the sexual advance, but the next thing David knew, he was pulling out his knife.” (Ron, [22:50])
• Second Witness: Bruce: Testifies that David also confessed to him.
• Circumstantial details: David’s usual buck knife missing, his inquiry about bloodstain removal, Bernard’s pants off aligning with confession details.

Defense Case

• Highlights total absence of physical evidence: "Beer bottles collected at the scene... didn't return any fingerprints or other links to David." ([28:39])
• Attacks credibility of prosecution witnesses (drug use, unrelated criminal charges, possible motives for fabrication).
• Suggests alternate timelines and suspects; multiple witnesses report seeing Bernard alive later than police estimate.
• David takes the stand forcefully denies any role (“I did not kill the guy and I don't know who killed the guy.” —David Gray, [30:40])
• Points to alternate suspects including:
  • John: Seen with Bernard's pipe and a stack of cash after the murder; even allegedly confessed in passing.
  • Mickey: Rumored local troublemaker, allegedly threatened to stab someone; died before trial.
  • Stacy: Woman who confessed twice (once while on LSD), came home covered in blood, but her account conflicted with evidence.

Notable Quote – On Uncertainty ([41:19]):

"The evidence was fragile. No fingerprints, no weapon, no first hand confession. There was a little bit of blood on David Gray’s shirt, but nothing to say who it came from or how it got there. What the jury had instead were fragments, bits of testimony, rumor and contradiction, all pointing in different directions. It was a case built on inference, not proof." – Kylie Low

7. Verdict and Aftermath ([41:19], [41:21])

• October 16, 1986: After a four-hour deliberation, the jury finds David Gray not guilty.
• David expresses relief but acknowledges the toll: “I feel like I want to run forever. I want to go to the ocean tomorrow. I want some air.” ([41:33])
• Reveals he became literate while in jail, taught by another inmate.
• The reward for information is never paid; the case against David collapses; Bernard’s murder remains unsolved.

8. Lingering Questions and Theories ([43:41])

• Host Kylie Low questions whether investigators sufficiently explored the possibility of a random act of violence by local teenagers.
• Quotes reporting on teen harassment of elderly residents as possible context for an unpredictable, escalated conflict.
• Reflects on the chill such an unsolved crime brought to a struggling mill town.
• Closes with the reality of cold cases: "Some cases never find the kind of justice we expect. The evidence fades, the witnesses move on. And the truth, whatever it is, gets buried beneath years of doubt and what ifs." ([46:26])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bernard’s gentle nature:

  "Violence wasn't in his nature, and he didn't have any enemies. In fact, Bernard often befriended younger people in town." ([05:24])

• On the investigation’s weakness:

  "The state may have had some secondhand confessions... but they didn't have much else to support those witnesses." ([28:39])

• David Gray’s testimony:

  "I did not kill the guy and I don't know who killed the guy... Now I'm going to tell the state I didn't kill Mr. Agonis and I don't know who did." ([30:40])

• Host’s reflection:

  "Reasonable doubt wasn't just possible in this case—it was everywhere." ([41:19])

• On the unresolved nature of justice:

  "The system gets one chance to make it right. And when that chance passes, the questions don't stop. They just linger." ([46:45])

Important Segment Timestamps

• [02:08] — Discovery of Bernard’s body
• [04:00] — Background on Bernard Egounis
• [06:50] — Details of the crime scene and emerging theories
• [09:55] — Focus on David Gray
• [15:45] — Arrest and legal maneuvers
• [18:50] — Psychiatric evaluation and delays
• [21:00] — Trial: prosecution and defense cases
• [28:39] — Lack of physical evidence; alternate suspects introduced
• [38:34] — Testimony implicating alternative suspects (John, Mickey, Stacy)
• [41:19] — Closing arguments, verdict, aftermath, and lingering doubt
• [46:26] — Host’s closing reflections on unresolved cases

Tone and Style

The episode maintains a respectful, investigative tone, focusing on empathy, thoroughness, and a heart-centered ethical approach. Kylie Low weaves personal details and broader context together, balancing narrative flow and documentary-style analysis. The host avoids sensationalism, emphasizing the humanity of both the victim and the accused, and leaving listeners with both the tragedy and complexity of the unsolved case.

Final Thoughts

The story of Bernard Egounis’s murder and the failed case against David Gray exposes the fragility of justice when physical evidence is absent, memory is unreliable, and doubts multiply. Dark Downeast shines a light on these shades of uncertainty while honoring those lost and challenging listeners to consider the real human impacts of cold cases like this one.