Manchester cop activity on corner of Valley and Pine St.

[J’raxis 270145]

If anyone saw all the cops today right next to my apartment...

Manchester murder investigated
By STAFF REPORT

2 hours, 16 minutes ago

MANCHESTER – City police are investigating a homicide that took place early this morning, authorities said. The incident left one person dead and one person hospitalized with serious injuries.

Authorities have been on scene since this morning in the area of 168 Valley St., in the center city. Few details about what happened were immediately available from authorities. The state Attorney General's office said the identities of the victims were being withheld pending notification of their families.

[J’raxis 270145]

Heading up to Grafton for a bit.

If I don't post again here by noon tomorrow, something's going down...

[K. Darien Freeheart]

That's an ominous post.

[doobie]

They have a perp in custody: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=d9b6a708-9aa1-4c18-9ae1-f21b6ed35a93&headline=Weare+man+arrested+in+city+woman%27s+death

[J’raxis 270145]

That's an ominous post.

Yes, it was. I'm back and glad to report nothing actually happened. Not posting details on the forum other than to say it's related to the once-again increased activity by the U.S. Marshals, &c., around here—which is why I was being careful before traveling out of cell-phone range.

[David]

Glad you are all right.  Very unfortunate for the victims. 

[J’raxis 270145]

Thanks.

[Russell Kanning]

Heading up to Grafton for a bit.

If I don't post again here by noon tomorrow, something's going down...

so ... did you ever make it?

[K. Darien Freeheart]

I would make a very loud, very visible, very "here media, here's why we're doing it!" vigil for the injured, murdered and grieving people because of this incident. People should know that the community shares the loss and that to make a stand that violent crime in [our] community will not be tolerated, we're urging all lawful gun owners to open carry.

Maybe I'm a cold, insentive person to see how to make this a positive opportunity to promote liberty, but things like this are exactly why people's rights need to be at the VERY forefront of their minds. If more people knew and valued their rights, perhaps this might have been an article on how an attempted attacker was foiled.

[J’raxis 270145]

Heading up to Grafton for a bit.

If I don't post again here by noon tomorrow, something's going down...

so ... did you ever make it?

Yep, up and back. It was actually Bristol, at the restaurant, not Grafton.

... I'm back and glad to report nothing actually happened. Not posting details on the forum other than to say it's related to the once-again increased activity by the U.S. Marshals, &c., around here—which is why I was being careful before traveling out of cell-phone range.

[J’raxis 270145]

More on the original topic:—

City mom of six is slain
By VALERIE HERSHFIELD AND MICHAEL COUSINEAU
New Hampshire Sunday News
19 hours, 37 minutes ago

MANCHESTER – A city woman, involved in an escalating neighborhood feud, was apparently beaten to death with a baseball bat early yesterday in her apartment while four of her children were home, according to neighbors.

Hours later, authorities arrested 35-year-old Todd Peters of Weare, who neighbors say had known the victim, Edith Riley, for two decades. Peters was charged with second-degree murder and is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Manchester District Court, authorities said.

The 35-year-old Riley lived at 168 Valley St. with her boyfriend, Timothy King, 21, who also was injured in the 4 a.m. attack. He was listed in critical condition at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Riley's 12-year-old daughter, Rebecca, found the pair bloodied in the living room and saw Peters holding a baseball bat in his hand, according to Jennifer Tardiff, who considered Riley her best friend and lives upstairs in the same building.

"Can you help me? They're bleeding," the girl told Peters, according to another neighbor who didn't want to be identified. The girl saw her mother lying on the floor face-down bleeding and cradled her head. King was found in a nearby chair, Tardiff said.

Peters left the building, and the girl dialed 911 to alert police, according to Riley's son, Matthew, who lives in Bedford. Peters was arrested yesterday afternoon at the Weare police station, said Associate Attorney General Ann Rice.

Less than 24 hours before her death, Edith Riley had told a neighbor she feared for her safety.

In the past week, the victim's car windows were smashed twice, and police had been called to the area Thursday and Friday, both times for people carrying bats, according to neighbors.

"We're certainly looking into that," Rice said. "It's certainly a focus of the investigation."

On Thursday, police responded to a report of a fight involving bats and guns at Riley's address around 4 p.m., according to a police news release issued that evening.

They found several small groups arguing and were told someone had smashed a vehicle window with a baseball bat. Police arrested a 16-year-old after he fled authorities. The juvenile, whose name wasn't released, faces several charges.

"The cops have been here about nine times in three days," said the pregnant Tardiff, who had asked Riley to be a godmother when her child is born. "I told them (Friday), 'What is sad is it's going to take someone to die for you to do anything.' That's what it did."

Later, she said, "Now my house is a crime scene."

Matthew Riley said there had been incidents going on for several weeks.

"The police, I feel, didn't do their job," said Riley, who wore a t-shirt bearing a color picture of her mother and the words "Rest in Peace Mom" with dates of her birth and death.

Manchester police had no comment on the son's statement.

Matthew Riley thought his mother's death had something to do with car cleaning and involved someone on Bell Street, a block away from his mother's apartment.

Tardiff said Edith Riley had a restraining order against someone living on Bell Street, but it wasn't against Peters.

Neighbors said Peters does have at least one relative living on Bell Street, but could not say whether the restraining order relates to any member of the Peters family.

Rice wouldn't discuss a motive or say how Riley was killed. She said she doesn't anticipate any more arrests.

"There no cause for public alarm at this point," she said.

Tardiff said Riley had known Peters since she was about 14 and that Peters had dated Riley's sister as teenagers.

Peters has a son who is in the same youth program as Riley's daughter Rebecca.

A man answering the door at the Weare apartment building where police say Peters lives said he didn't recognize Peters' name.

Early yesterday, a large handmade cardboard sign hung on the outside of a Bell Street building where neighbors said at least one relative of Peters live.

"Help Stop Crime '911" and "Call 911," it read. The sign contained drawings of baseball bats, a gun, a marijuana plant, needles and brass knuckles. By late afternoon, the sign was gone.

A man who appeared to live there said the neighbors wanted to establish a Neighborhood Watch and contacted their alderman to "make the neighborhood safe."

Riley is a mother of six: Matthew, 20; Joseph, 15; Rebecca, 12; Dillyn, 8; Allyssa, 3; and Timothy, 18 months. The two youngest belong to King and Riley, and Joseph lives there on weekends, according to Matthew Riley.

Both Riley and Peters attended West High.

Born in Virginia, Edith Riley was on disability since injuring herself while working at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, he said.

He believes the children will stay with his grandparents in Bedford.

Asked what he would say to his Mom, Riley said: "I'd say we all love you and we miss you so much. This is awful. I mean there is no reason anybody should do that especially with kids watching. How low can you go?"

Correspondent Mark Ouellette contributed to this report.

[David]

Someone apparently believes that this was a drug dispute.  The sign that was taken down.     Good job cops.  You make people afraid to air their disputes publicly, because after all, drugs are illegal, then you screw up by not ensuring safety.  The last part is hard to do, but you guys preach it when you are trying to force the city to give you raises. 

[doobie]

When are we going to start the Armed Neighbourhood Watch?

Every now and then when I OC I get stopped by someone asking me if I'm a police officer and if I have a licence...and we generally get to discussing firearms for a few.  Much better than harassment by the police.