A Freetown man allegedly killed his girlfriend inside their home after spending the night using cocaine and alcohol with acquaintances.
Matthew L. Lucas,54, was ordered held without bail on a murder charge Wednesday in Fall River District Court, where a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf, according to court records and Bristol District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III’s office.
Lucas is accused of killing Heidi M. Chace, 44, inside their shared residence on Chace Road in the Southeastern Massachusetts town early Wednesday, according to a police report.
Witnesses told police they had been using cocaine and alcohol at the home for several hours when Lucas became angry and began threatening them with a knife. The acquaintances left but as they lingered outside two of them heard loud shouting, followed by quiet.
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After an extended period of time, the acquaintances went to the house, where they were met by Lucas, police said.
“She is gone,” Lucas allegedly told them. “Heidi is dead and I’m going away for life.”
Inside, the acquaintances found Chace suffering from multiple injuries and called 911. Police and paramedics arrived but Chace was pronounced dead inside her home, police wrote.
Police said a hammer with blood and hair on it was found at the scene. Authorities will conduct forensic tests to determine whether it was the murder weapon. A bloodstained knife was also found.
Police said a microwave was damaged by a hammer blow and a glass top table was shattered.
Police found Lucas hiding in a shed Wednesday morning and took him into custody. Lucas has four tattoos on his arms — two skulls, a scorpion and the name, Heidi, police said.
He is due back in court Oct. 20, records show.
John R. Ellement can be reached at john.ellement@globe.com. Follow him @JREbosglobe.