Michael Chadwick, 61, of Brownington, left, appeared for his murder arraignment Thursday in Lamoille County Superior criminal court in Hyde Park by video from the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury. Kirk Williams, his public defender, is seated next to him. ScreenshotA Brownington man pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder for the September 2022 shooting death of a man in Lamoille County.Michael Chadwick, 64, entered his guilty plea during a hearing in Lamoille County Superior criminal court in Hyde Park to the felony charge accusing him of fatally shooting Mark Benjamin, 42, also of Brownington, in Belvidere.A sentencing hearing was set for Dec. 16.As part of a plea deal, Lamoille County State’s Attorney Aliena Gerhard can ask for a sentence for Chadwick of 20 years to life in prison, all suspended except for up to 17 years to serve in prison.Kelly Green, Chadwick’s attorney, will be permitted to seek a sentence for her client of 20 years to life in prison, all suspended but 12 years to serve in prison. The plea agreement heads off a trial in the case that had been set for next month. According to charging documents, Benjamin’s mother, Susan, also of Brownington, had been in a long-term relationship with Chadwick and had filed for — and received — a final court order for relief from abuse against him a day before the fatal shooting.On the afternoon of Sept. 21, 2022, Chadwick went to a camp on Bog Road in Belvidere that he had been prohibited from going to as a result of that restraining order, Gerhard, the prosecutor, said during Monday’s hearing. “At the camp, Mr. Chadwick encountered Mark Benjamin, who had permission to change the locks on the camp and he was departing,” Gerhard said. As Benjamin drove down the driveway to leave, the prosecutor added, Chadwick aimed his handgun at him and fired two shots. “Both bullets traveled through the car’s open window and struck Mr. Benjamin in the neck and arm,” Gerhard said.Benjamin died as a result of the shooting, according to the prosecutor. After a standoff with responding police, according to the charging documents, Chadwick surrendered later that afternoon and was taken into custody and transported to the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department in Hyde Park.Gerhard told the judge Monday that the plea agreement takes into account several factors, including the risk of taking the case to trial to obtain a conviction on a second-degree murder charge, as well as Chadwick’s age.“There’s also the risk of a potential diminished capacity defense,” the prosecutor said.Chadwick has been held in custody without bail since his arrest on the day of the fatal shooting. He is currently incarcerated at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield. Read the story on VTDigger here: Brownington man admits to murder charge in 2022 shooting death in Belvidere .