Concord Homeless Woman, With Priors, Charged With Murder In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NH — An arrest has been made in the case of an elderly man stabbed and killed in a Manchester apartment building on Sunday and she’s no stranger to police.

Carrie E. Drake, 54, a homeless woman now located in Concord, was arrested on second-degree murder and felon in possession of a deadly weapon charges, both felonies, as well as a resisting arrest or detention charge, accused of killing Vernon Hayford, 75. Hayford was a resident at the O’Malley Apartments on Chestnut Street. The Manchester Housing Authority owns the building which is primarily for disabled and elderly residents.

Police, firefighters, and AMR rescue teams were sent to the building around 5 a.m. for a report of a stabbing. When they entered, they found a man with life-threatening injuries. After being taken to the hospital, he died.

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According to a report by Jeffrey Hastings on Sunday, an elevator was shut down to preserve evidence, including blood.

Drake is in custody, according to officials, and was expected to be arraigned in Manchester District Court on Monday. An autopsy is also scheduled for Monday.

In October 2020, Drake stabbed an elderly man in the same building.

According to superior court records and reports on Patch, Drake’s criminal history dates back about 18 years.

In July 2022, she was accused of threatening a woman with a butcher knife at the Regency Hill Estates condo complex on the Concord Heights. The victim could be heard yelling, “She needs to be locked up.” She reportedly threatened another woman and said, “I’m not going to hurt you that bad.”

Drake was out on bail at the time of the incident after being arrested on receiving stolen property, less than $1,000, deal-possess prescription drugs, and resisting arrest or detention charges after an incident at Walgreens on Loudon Road.

She pleaded guilty to the knife threat charge in August 2023. She was given a four-year sentence, with a mandatory two years in prison, suspended for 10 years.

Drake was accused of attempted murder — for crashing her car into a truck in an effort to take her own life and that of an ex-boyfriend, according to Merrimack County Superior Court documents and newspaper archives in December 2006.

Drake was driving a Chevrolet Lumina on Route 3A in Bow when she crossed the double yellow line, driving head-on into a Mack dump truck. Her ex was a passenger in the vehicle. The crash was initially reported as a collision. But as police investigated the incident, they realized it was more and filed attempted murder and first-degree assault charges against Drake.

The passenger suffered an occluded aorta, fractured ribs, and other injuries, while she only suffered minor injuries, according to a report. The truck driver was uninjured. The victim told EMTs after the crash that Drake was attempting to kill them both before crossing the center line. Drake was indicted on the charges in February 2007.

The county attorney at the time stated the couple were fighting before the crash but declined to describe the nature of the argument. A Bow police lieutenant involved in the investigation stated there were rumors of an “indiscreet videotape” that was the basis of the arguing but it was not confirmed by investigators.

Concord police reported “several contacts" with Drake over the years, including an assault incident in the South End in December 2005.

In November 2007, Drake went through an evaluation to find out if she was competent enough to stand trial. She was a “long-time New Hampshire Hospital patient,” according to court documents.

The charges were later lowered to second-degree assault and reckless conduct, and Drake served about nine months, with 10 years suspended, and was confined to administrative home confinement in August 2010.

Two years ago, Drake attempted to navigate a motion to vacate half of the restitution costs in the case, about $14,000, according to documents, but that request was denied last year.

Between May 2012 and September 2020, Drake was arrested or cited on several incidents in Concord, including assaulting a relative, theft by unauthorized taking, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct.

Drake was also arrested on a drunken driving charge in April 2023 after an incident on Clinton Street.

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