VSP: Indiana man committed multiple domestic assaults

August 15, 2025

BARRE — An Indiana man is accused of committing multiple domestic assaults in central Vermont.

Diego Espitia, 23, of Indianapolis, Indiana, pleaded not guilty by video Wednesday in Washington County criminal court in Barre to a felony count of first-degree aggravated domestic assault, two misdemeanor counts of domestic assault and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. If convicted, Espitia faces a maximum sentence of 17 years and 60 days in prison. He was ordered held without bail, pending a weight-of-the-evidence hearing, and was housed at Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury as of Thursday.

For the felony charge, Trooper Matthew Helpard, of the Vermont State Police, said in his affidavit a woman called police Tuesday to report Espitia, her romantic partner, had assaulted her Monday in Fayston. Helpard said Espitia was in State Police custody for a separate offense when the victim called. He said the victim reported she felt safe to report the assault with Espitia in custody.

Helpard said the victim reported she and Espitia were staying at an Airbnb in Fayston when the victim woke Espitia up, and he was in a bad mood. The victim reported she and Espitia started to argue when Espitia pulled her hair and punched her in the face four or five times.

The trooper said the victim reported she is pregnant and was terrified for her and her two young children. He said she declined medical services. He said the victim reported the two children were present for the assault.

Helpard said Espitia denied hitting the victim. He said Espitia reported he didn’t remember what the argument with the victim was about.

Espitia was already in police custody when the victim reported the assault because police said he and his brother, Fernando Espitia Jr., 27, had gotten into a fight in Waterbury. Police said Fernando Espitia has been cited on a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct and is scheduled to be arraigned on the charge Aug. 14.

Trooper Alexis Marciniak, also of the State Police, said in her affidavit a child called police Tuesday to report two men were fighting on North Main Street in Waterbury. Marciniak said the witness reported the two men left the scene in a vehicle.

The trooper said she located the vehicle on Route 100 and pulled it over. She said there were four people in the vehicle and two of them had injuries to their faces.

Marciniak said Fernando Espitia reported he and Diego Espitia got into an argument about their job when Diego Espitia hit Fernando Espitia in the face. She said Fernando Espitia reported this caused his nose to bleed, and he fell to the ground.

The trooper noted Fernando Espitia had a red mark on his face, some swelling on his arm and what appeared to be blood on his shirt from wiping his nose.

She said Diego Espitia admitted to pulling his brother out of the vehicle and getting on top of him. The trooper said he admitted he was the aggressor, though he denied that punches were thrown.

The trooper said Diego Espitia had red marks on his face and scratches and bleeding behind his ear.