The state extended a plea offer Monday involving a prison sentence of approximately 40 years to the man accused of fatally shooting Joey Gingerella on Dec. 11, 2016.

Dante A. Hughes is expected to notify Judge Hillary B. Strackbein on Sept. 29 whether he will accept or reject the offer. Should he take the deal, he would plead guilty to murder and be sentenced at a later date. If he rejects the offer, the case will go to trial in New London Superior Court.

Prosecutor Paul J. Narducci said he couldn't discuss specifics of the offer until defense attorney Walter D. Hussey has a chance to talk it over with Hughes. Narducci did meet privately with members of the victim's family, who came to court wearing #justiceforjoey T-shirts and accompanied by about 40 supporters. Members of Hughes' family also were in court.

"The state has made an offer if the defendant is willing to plead guilty to a murder charge," Narducci said later in the day.

In some murder cases, a plea offer enables the accused to plead guilty to a lesser charge, such as manslaughter.

The vast majority of criminal defendants receive plea offers that enable them to enter a guilty plea and receive a better deal than if they were convicted at trial and received the maximum sentence. If convicted of murder at a trial, Hughes would face 25 to 60 years in prison.

Gingerella, 24, of Groton, had shared publicly his battle with addiction to opioid painkillers and inspired his mother and stepfather, Tammy and Joe de la Cruz, to start the grass roots group Community Speaks Out. He was a standout baseball player at Fitch Senior High School and continued to play and coach the sport. His family and friends have held several events to honor his memory and currently are holding a Light It Up Joey fundraiser to install lights at Calvin Burrow Little Field in Groton.

Hughes, also of Groton, has remained incarcerated since he was arrested two days after the shooting as he tried to cross into Canada via the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. He is being held in lieu of $550,000 bond on charges of murder, third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace.

Groton Town Police allege Hughes shot Gingerella in the parking lot of Ryan's Pub on Fort Hill Road when Gingerella and other patrons attempted to stop Hughes from beating up his girlfriend, Latoya S. Knight.

Knight, who allegedly misled police about Hughes' identification, was charged with interfering with police. She is free on a $25,000 bond and has been appearing regularly in the same court where Hughes' case is being heard. She is due back in court on Thursday.

k.florin@theday.com