Manchester man pleads guilty to manslaughter in girlfriend's fatal shooting

Nov. 12—A 27-year-old Manchester man charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of his girlfriend last New Year's Eve pleaded guilty just as the case was set to head to trial later this month.

Tyler Cook was charged after police responded to a shooting at 274 Amherst St. in Manchester. Sophia Bonfiglio, 26, was taken to Elliot Hospital, where she was pronounced dead 2 1/2 hours later, police said.

Cook did not appear in court on Friday as Judge Amy Messer accepted the plea, which calls for a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison as part of the capped plea, according to court documents. He is eligible to have up to three years suspended for completion in programing in the area of domestic violence, mental health and work readiness, and also can earn additional reduced time.

A sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 23.

As part of the deal, Cook also must pay $14,905 to the victim's compensation fund and/or Bonfiglio's family.

Cook was charged with acting recklessly "when, while in control of a firearm, a firearm was discharged killing S.B." The charge carried a maximum sentence of 30 years.

Cook's attorney, Leif Becker, said the defense and state reached "a negotiated result that reasonably achieves the objectives of prosecution while being heavily focused on allowing Mr. Cook to serve his time and live a productive life" after his time in prison.

"The death of Ms. Bonfiglio is a tragedy for all involved and I think an important reminder for all that those that choose to own firearms must act with appropriate care in the handling of those firearms at all times," Becker said. "Here we have a situation where a young man with a lot of promise will pay a price for an accidental death that could have been avoided. Not only did he lose the person most important to him, but years of his liberty."

The Hillsborough County Attorney's Office had planned to admit evidence of Cook's conscious disregard for Bonfiglio on the day she was shot through witnesses, including tenants in the building and Bonfiglio's father.

"The defendant has confessed, and the physical evidence has confirmed, that the gun he was holding discharged a bullet, the bullet struck S.B., and the resulting injury caused S.B.'s death," according to the request to admit the evidence. "Therefore, the central issue in this case is the operation of the gun and the defendant's mental state while operating it."

Cook remained in jail based on statements by two neighbors who said that from May through December "they heard arguing and banging coming from the defendant and deceased's apartment" and called police several times.

Bonfiglio's father was at the apartment shortly before and after the shooting and noted the apartment was in disarray, "including significant damage to a door (jamb), which was a change from the day before," according to court documents.

Becker objected to the circumstantial evidence being used, which "does nothing to implicate the defendant's mindset as reckless that is not already present in the physical evidence and the defendant's confession."