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Mass. man charged with killing longtime girlfriend

PEABODY, Mass. - A Massachusetts man has been charged with fatally stabbing his longtime girlfriend in the heart at their Peabody home while her 5-year-old granddaughter was visiting. The girl was unharmed.

Brandon Hoar, 59, was arraigned on a first-degree murder charge Tuesday in Peabody District Court. A judge ordered him held without bail and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

His next court date is July 16.

Hoar is accused of killing 55-year-old Cheryl Young. Police say they responded to the couple's home Tuesday morning and found Hoar sitting on the front steps. Police say Hoar confessed to stabbing Young, who was found dead on a living room couch.

The Department of Children and Families took custody of the 5-year-old girl.

According to a police report obtained by CBS Boston, Hoar told police Young is bipolar, had been acting out recently and was threatening her 5-year-old granddaughter "with a crazy look in her eyes" prior to him taking action and stabbing her.

Hoar's attorney Rebecca Whitehill told the station there may be a lot more to the story than meets the eye.

Haor is being held without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court again next month.

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