A New Hampshire man who is accused of fatally stabbing his brother-in-law in a downtown Boston hotel room after a night of birthday celebrations will be held without bail pending trial, officials announced Monday night.
Ren Rodgers, 23, of Hollis, was arraigned Monday in Boston Municipal Court on a charge of murder, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement. Rodgers is accused of stabbing Christopher Kellar to death in a room at Hotel Indigo Boston Garden on Saturday night, located at 280 Friend Street -- just steps from TD Garden.
In court, Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman alleged that Kellar and his girlfriend were in Boston on Feb. 20 with Rodgers and his wife -- who is Kellar's sister -- to celebrate the siblings' birthdays.
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.
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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.
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“Domestic violence can occur between family and household members, not just intimate partners. The grief of losing a loved one to domestic violence is only compounded by the complex family relationships and dynamics at play," District Attorney Rollins said. "In this instance, a young woman lost her brother and husband in the same night – one forever gone, the other looking at a potential life sentence."
Rollins said her office will provide the support and resources the victim's family may need as they begin "the legal process and the long journey toward healing.”
Prosecutors had requested Rodgers be held without bail, while an attorney for Rodgers, Jose Serpa, requested bail be set in the amount of $25,000. Ultimately, Judge James Stanton ruled in favor of the prosecutors.
Rodgers is due back in court on March 22.
