Philip B. Goolden, 50, a lifelong resident of Ogdensburg, New York, was found critically wounded by a gunshot at a Jefferson Avenue residence on Saturday, April 7, 2018. He was not a resident of the home where he was discovered. A graduate of Ogdensburg Free Academy, Goolden had worked in construction and was remembered by family as fun-loving and devoted to them.

The investigation led to the arrest of 52-year-old Michael Gagnon, who lived at the Jefferson Avenue residence. Gagnon was initially charged with second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. As a trial approached in May 2019, Gagnon pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in a plea deal that the prosecution said had been offered in consultation with Goolden’s wife, Bridget. Prosecutors maintained the killing was intentional and not self-defense; Gagnon did not publicly describe what happened that night.

In July 2019 Gagnon was sentenced under the plea terms to 12 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. Are there details about Goolden’s last hours or the relationship between him and the homeowner that could help clarify what happened?