David Bova, 30, of AuSable Forks is seen the day he was arrested in March and charged with second-degree murder for the shooting death of Magen Goyette. (Photo provided — New York State Police)

AuSABLE FORKS — A local man who was charged with second-degree murder told his side of the story in a court statement to police, admitting he fired several shots at his girlfriend.

In a document State Police submitted to the Black Brook Town Court, 30-year-old David Bova said he and Magen Goyette, also 30, had been dating for the past six months, but they often fought. After a series of verbal altercations, Bova said he “snapped” Wednesday morning and fired four or five 9mm bullets at a black Chevrolet truck in which she was a passenger. She died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Bova pleaded not guilty to a felony complaint in Black Brook Town Court. Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie said Bova’s defense attorney is Patrick McFarlin, who has an office in Plattsburgh. Bova has a court hearing in Black Brook Monday afternoon.

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Bova’s statement

Bova said he started dating Goyette when he lived in Corning, then moved in with her at her parents’ home on Silver Lake Road in AuSable Forks in December. He said the two lived in her room, and he paid her parents $300 a month and helped out around the house.

They argued a lot, he said.

After he got a $1,800 tax return, Bova said he and Goyette moved out and rented a trailer on Separator Road, a short drive from her parents’ house. He said he worked nights at Camso in Plattsburgh, a company that develops tires and track systems for machines like dirt bikes, snowmobiles and agricultural equipment.

Bova claims that on Monday, he and Goyette were getting along and also had sex, but later got into an argument during dinner of salmon and potatoes. Bova said he didn’t come to eat right away and Goyette got mad at him.

“I told her I was depressed, and she called me names like cry baby back bitch,” he said in the statement.

Bova said Goyette threatened to have sex with other men and break his guns: a 9 mm rifle with a loaded magazine, a .22 caliber Ruger 10/22 rifle, a 12 gauge pump-action shotgun and .22 caliber Marlin rifle. He said his guns mean a lot to him, so he put them in his father’s Jeep along with a white-tailed deer mount so she couldn’t break them.

“She said she had a whole line of people to come put me in a grave and (mess) up my truck,” he said.

Bova said the fighting continued, and Tuesday night he called both his brother, John, and the State Police. He said the troopers came and that he told them Goyette had stolen $440.00 from him. Bova said he then offered to leave and followed his brother to a parking area near Franklin Falls, where they talked for about an hour or two.

“My brother tried to convince me to go to my parents’ house for the night, but I didn’t want to,” Bova said.

Bova said he drove back to his trailer on Separator Road, where Goyette was around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday and they resumed arguing. Bova said he fell asleep on the couch and awoke to state troopers and a still-angry Goyette. He said the troopers took Goyette, and then he realized his cellphone was gone, which he said contained videos he had taken of them fighting.

Thinking she had stolen his cellphone, Bova said he drove to Goyette’s parents’ house. She was sitting in the passenger seat of the family truck, “listening to loud music and kind of dancing,” he said. He grabbed her by the shirt and yelled “something like, ‘where is my cellphone?'” he said.

Bova said he then drove away and got as far as Fred’s Auto Repair, also on Silver Lake Road, where he crashed the Jeep at around 9 a.m. This part was corroborated by two eyewitnesses who spoke to the Enterprise and the Press-Republican: Fred Drake, who owns the shop, and his sister-in-law Diane Parrow-Drake, who lives next door.

People at the scene called the police as Bova got out of his crashed vehicle. He then grabbed the 9mm rifle out of his car and loaded a magazine into the gun.

“I racked the action, which puts a round in the chamber,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said he fired shots into the air, but Bova doesn’t mention this in his statement.

Bova said he started to walk back to his home when he saw the Goyettes’ Chevy coming toward him. Magen Goyette’s mother Michelle was driving. He opened fire.

“After everything that has happened, I just snapped, I was pissed at her,” he said. “The gun safety was off, and I raised the gun up and began to fire in the direction of the truck.

“I’m not sure if I hit the truck or anyone in it.”

Bova did hit Maygen Goyette. Dr. Michael Sikirica of the Albany Medical Center said the gunshot caused severe skull fractures and brain injuries, State Police reported Thursday. She was transported to the Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh, where she was pronounced dead.

“I heard a commotion and yelling when the truck stopped,” Bova said. “I knew Magen was in the front passenger seat just prior to me crashing. I kept walking, and the gun was empty of ammunition.”

Bova said a man pulled up and offered him a ride back home. He didn’t say who this driver was.

At home, he smoked a cigarette and waited at his trailer for the troopers, he said. Just before they showed up, he said he tried to hide a metal smoking device for marijuana. A rumor floating around town and on the Enterprise Facebook page is that Bova also killed Goyette’s dog when he returned home. He said he didn’t hurt the dog.

“I have been honest with the police, and I wish I would have just went to my father’s like my brother said and none of this would have happened,” Bova said.

“I don’t know what is wrong with me.”

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Other statements

Michelle Goyette declined to comment on Thursday morning, March 14, saying it was too stressful to speak at this time. Cindy Bova, an extended family member of David Bova, said she tried reaching out to Chris Swinyer, who raised David even though she isn’t his biological mother.

“I tried to call her, but she wasn’t answering,” Cindy said. “I don’t think anyone in the family wants to say anything at this time. I’m just so sorry to hear about that girl, and I’m sorry for her family.”

Bova – Felony Complaint by Peter Crowley on Scribd

Bova – Statement Pg 1 by Peter Crowley on Scribd

Bova Statement Pg 2 by Peter Crowley on Scribd