‘Foul Play Ruled Out’ In Concord Homeless Camp Hanging Case: Follow-Up

CONCORD, NH — Concord police have closed their investigation into a hanging at a homeless camp off Black Hill Road on Wednesday.

Around 4:30 p.m., Concord fire and rescue teams were sent to the camps off Manchester Street for a report of a death, at a site near the former Concord Drive-In. Police were also sent to the scene, as well as The Friendly Kitchen on South Commercial Street, to speak to witnesses about the incident.

Police were at the camps for two days, protecting and examining the scene. The man’s body was taken to the morgue by a police escort for an autopsy.

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Deputy Police Chief John Thomas said officers escort all dead bodies, known to be homicides or of suspicious nature, to ensure the security of the evidence. After the autopsy was performed on the man and all the evidence gathered and examined, police said no crime had been committed.

“All foul play has been ruled out,” Thomas said Friday.

News 603 posted this video on Facebook from the scene on Wednesday.

The man, who was in his mid-60s, had a lengthy criminal history dating back nearly a quarter of a century in Concord, Franklin, and other communities. Some of the counts and convictions included drug possession, felon in possession of a dangerous weapon, criminal threatening, thefts, assaults — including attacking police officers, violation of probation, contempt, breach, and other charges. He had been homeless in the region for many years.

The site of the homeless camps and former drive-in property is slated to become housing and mixed-use development. The project has been discussed for nearly three years, but last fall, city officials said there could be around 266 housing units built at the site. The project is in the predevelopment stage and is one of about a dozen plans to build more than 3,000 new apartments in the city in the next three to eight years.

According to comments online, campers at the site have been served with criminal trespass paperwork this week.

A free, 24/7, confidential service can provide people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress or those around them with support, information, and local resources. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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