Wrongful death lawsuit filed against man accused of killing Chicopee woman

CHICOPEE — The criminal case against Jason Chapdelaine, who is charged with murder for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend Eileen Monaghan to death in April, is still ongoing. A civil case is now also pending against him.

Monaghan's estate filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Chapdelaine in June. The suit also named the Chicopee Contributory Retirement Board, but it is only named as a defendant in its demand that funds in Chapdelaine's city retirement account be counted toward any judgment. Last week, the board filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Ashley Rouleau and Kathleen Brooks, Monaghan's daughters and representatives of his estate, filed the suit in Hampden Superior Court. Their suit calls for a jury trial and includes counts against Chapdelaine seeking damages for pain and suffering and a number of wrongful death charges, including negligence. The suit seeks $1 million in damages.

The plaintiff's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. An attorney for Chapdelaine is not yet listed in the civil case.

In June, Judge Edward J. McDonough Jr. approved a $1 million real estate lien against Chapdelaine in the civil case – a court order that ensures assets are available if a defendant loses a trial and a judgment is entered against him.

Chapdelaine, 52, was a longtime firefighter in Chicopee. He was hired in 1997 and fired in 2002 after multiple arrests, including for assault. He was later reinstated.

Monaghan's estate wants access to the town's pension funds if a judgment is made in his favour.

In their recently filed motion to dismiss the lawsuit, attorneys for the city's pension board argued that state law prevents the account from being seized.

Chapdelaine is being held without bail in the Franklin County House of Correction in his criminal case. A probation hearing scheduled for July was canceled and rescheduled for Sept. 9, court records show.

On April 14, police found Chapdelaine behind a paper mill in Holyoke with Monaghan, who had been stabbed 40 times, according to the coroner's office. The man smelled of alcohol.

“I murdered a woman,” Chapdelaine said, according to a police report.

Monaghan, 48, lived in Chicopee. She most recently worked as an assistant to Hampden Sheriff Nick Cocchi. Before that, she was chief of staff to state Rep. Joseph Wagner for two decades until he retired several years ago.

In addition to her commitment to public service, her obituary also acknowledged her joy in her family. “Eileen will be remembered by all of us,” it says, “but above all she was a devoted and loving mother.”