Accused killer in Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau case turns down plea deal

The legal saga surrounding the deaths of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew has dragged on for over two years now, and just when you think the case might be heading toward some kind of resolution, the man accused of killing them decided to roll the dice in a big way. Monday's hearing in a Salem County, New Jersey courtroom brought a pair of developments that are sure to keep this story front and center heading into the new year.

Sean Higgins, the 45-year-old Pilesgrove man charged with fatally striking the Gaudreau brothers while they were riding their bicycles in August 2024, stood before Superior Court Judge Michael Silvanio and formally rejected a plea deal from prosecutors. The offer on the table was 28 years in prison in exchange for guilty pleas to two counts of aggravated manslaughter and one count of first-offense DWI. Instead, Higgins told the judge he understood his options and chose to take his chances with a jury, despite facing a maximum sentence of 91 and a half years if convicted on all charges. When the judge asked if he understood the stakes, Higgins simply replied, "Yes, sir."

This is actually the second plea deal Higgins has turned down. Prosecutors initially offered a 35-year sentence back in 2025, which he also rejected. The defense countered with a proposal seeking roughly 11 or 12 years, which prosecutors understandably shut down. With the plea window now closed, Judge Silvanio made it clear that any future guilty plea would be an open plea with no guaranteed sentencing terms from the prosecution. Under New Jersey law, if convicted on all six charges, Higgins wouldn't even be eligible for parole until he had served 68 years.

The BAC Bombshell and Defense Strategy

Perhaps even more notable than the rejected plea deal was what the defense admitted in the very same hearing. For months, Higgins' legal team had aggressively argued that their client was not legally intoxicated at the time of the crash, claiming investigators had botched the blood alcohol testing by only analyzing blood plasma rather than whole blood. They had previously asserted Higgins' BAC was 0.075, just below the 0.08 legal threshold. But on Monday, defense attorney Richard Klineburger revealed that an independent test conducted by the defense on a separate blood sample came back at 0.08, right at the legal limit.

That effectively pulls the rug out from under one of the defense's most prominent arguments. Prosecutors had maintained all along that Higgins' BAC was 0.087, and while the defense's own test came in slightly lower, it still places Higgins at or above the legal limit. It's a significant concession from a defense team that had built a large part of its case around challenging the intoxication evidence.

Despite that setback, the defense is far from waving the white flag. They've brought in crash reconstruction expert Justin Schorr, who disputes the State Police's version of how the collision unfolded. Schorr's report argues that the Gaudreau brothers were riding in the travel lane rather than along the shoulder, and that Higgins was merging back into his lane after attempting a left-side pass when the impact occurred. The defense has also pointed out that both brothers were intoxicated themselves, with Johnny's BAC at 0.129 and Matthew's at 0.134, and that neither was wearing a helmet, reflective gear, or had the required lights on their bicycles.

What Comes Next

The tragic backstory of this case remains gut-wrenching no matter how many times you hear it. On the evening of August 29, 2024, Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were cycling along Route 551 in Oldmans Township after their sister's wedding rehearsal dinner. They were killed the night before the wedding. Johnny, known to fans everywhere as "Johnny Hockey," was 31 years old and had played 11 seasons in the NHL with the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets. Matthew was 29, a former AHL player who had moved into coaching. Both were married fathers.

Prosecutors say Higgins was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee northbound when he attempted to pass vehicles ahead of him. After getting around one car, he allegedly tried to pass an SUV, but that vehicle shifted left to give room to the cyclists. Higgins then reportedly tried to pass on the right and struck both brothers. Witnesses described his driving as reckless, saying his vehicle was partially on the grass at the point of impact. Police body camera footage captured Higgins admitting to a state trooper that he had consumed several beers before the collision, and he was arrested after failing a field sobriety test.

Jury selection is set to begin on December 1 and is expected to take about two weeks. Opening arguments are scheduled for January 4, 2027, with the trial estimated to run approximately four weeks. For the Gaudreau family, who lost two sons on what should have been one of the happiest weekends of their lives, the wait for justice now stretches into a third year. And with Higgins choosing to gamble on a trial rather than accept accountability, this case is far from over.