Somersworth man accused in fatal beating at Walmart faces up to 30 years in prison

Brian Roberge, right, during his initial video arraignment from Strafford County Jail; at left, Jan Van Tassell (Roberge/WMUR screenshot; Van Tassell/Courtesy)

DOVER - The 54-year-old Somersworth man accused of brutally beating a man to death in the Somersworth Walmart parking lot two years ago has been indicted on a single charge of manslaughter.
The night of the attack witnesses said they saw Brian Roberge, 54, "beat the hell" out of Jan Van Tassel, 79, of Center Ossipee, according to a Somersworth Police affidavit filed soon after the arrest.
One eyewitness said they saw Roberge "repeatedly punch Van Tassel in the face and head with closed fists" during the late-night July 14 attack.
They added that "Roberge's entire body straddled the chest of Van Tassell, who was lying face-up on the ground." Roberge continued to pummel Van Tassell with both fists for several minutes," the affidavit stated.
The medical examiner found that his death was a result of asphyxia, due to compression of his upper torso.
Van Tassell was well-known in the Center Ossipee community for his 40-plus years of service as a captain of the Center Ossipee Volunteer Fire Department.
He was a longtime mechanic for Rines Garage in West Ossipee, where he became well-known as something of a mechanical MacGyver who could fix just about anything.
As a longtime volunteer firefighter Van Tassel was active in fund-raising for the department he cared for so much.

In his obit, it was said he especially enjoyed calling out the bingo numbers at Westwood Shore.
Upon retiring from the department, he was made an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Center Ossipee Fire Department, however, retirement couldn't keep him away and he remained a regular fixture volunteering to help repair equipment and just dropping in for regular visits.
Since Roberge's arrest he has had three competency evaluations, in July and November of 2023, and just last March.
In June defense lawyers filed their notice of pursuing an insanity defense.
Roberge's arraignment is set for Oct. 7 with Strafford Superior Court Judge Andrew B Livernois.
A manslaughter conviction is punishable by up ot 30 years in prison.