Murder trial jury in Nashua hears tapes of Duling’s police interviews before his arrest

NASHUA – Through three tape-recorded interviews with state police, Benjamin Duling sobbed but couldn’t bring himself to admit to stabbing his common-law wife, Shelly McGrade. Duling, 40, is on trial for second-degree murder related to the April 18, 2008, death of McGrade at their home at 32 Duling Lane, Wilton. His defense attorney said in opening arguments that Duling admits to stabbing McGrade, but says he did so in self-defense. In taped interviews played Wednesday during the second day of his trial, Duling repeatedly said he didn’t know what had happened. He recounted McGrade holding a knife in the kitchen of their home, but contradicted himself on whether she threatened him or not. He admitted to seeing McGrade lying on the floor bleeding and to seeing a black knife handle sticking out of her. But he never acknowledged he caused her death. On tape, Duling also said his two small children, a 5-year-old boy and a 2-year-old daughter, were home at the time of the stabbing.