Hopkinton Woman Indicted On Attempted Homicide, Other Charges

HOPKINTON, NH — A woman in Hopkinton is facing numerous felony charges including attempted homicide after being accused of trying to kill her neighbors during a knife-wielding home invasion on Dec. 27, 2021.

An officer was sent to Burnham Intervale Road around 2:30 a.m. for a 911 call with an open line. While en route, dispatch told the officer two women could be heard yelling with one saying, “stop,” and another requesting someone to leave. At some point, before the officer arrived, a woman picked up the phone and told dispatch she was being attacked by Sue Ellen Herrick, 35, also of Burnham Intervale Road in Hopkinton. The victim said Herrick had left the area in a car, the report said.

When the officer arrived, they saw a knife on the ground next to a vehicle and blood along the walkway to the home. Inside the home, the officer spoke to the victim who claimed Herrick just showed up, started banging on the door, and threatened to kill her and her children, while holding a knife, an affidavit said. Herrick was accused of kicking and pushing at the door with her body until it opened and then, when accessing the home, “started swinging” the knife at the victim, the report said.

“During the struggle, which took place for a few minutes and in multiple rooms on the first floor, (the victim) was able to find a paper towel holder and struck Sue Ellen over the head,” Hopkinton’s police chief wrote. “(The victim) said after that, Sue Ellen left the residence.”

A few minutes later, On Star reported an emergency activation requesting EMTs to the home. The vehicle was owned by a relative of Herrick’s, the report said. Other officers, including New Hampshire State Police, checked the area and found Herrick behind a mill building about 150-feet from a Chevrolet Malibu, bleeding from the face and forehead, the affidavit said.

The original officer spoke with Herrick who told him she was at her neighbor’s home to “get some belongings” and she was attacked, the report said.

“When Sue Ellen spoke, her words were garbled and difficult to understand,” the chief wrote. “(The officer) noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath and white powder under her nostrils while (a trooper) from the NHSP observed a knife in her pocket and confiscated it, for safe keeping.”

Herrick was treated but refused to be taken to the hospital initially. Later, she was taken to Concord Hospital.

An officer processed the scene and the victim showed them where some knives Herrick was in possession of were, the affidavit said.

According to the police investigation, Herrick was accused of holding a knife to the woman’s body, at one point, and in a threatening manner later. She was accused of screaming, “Get your f------ sons down here. I’m here. I want to kill them,” as well as “If I have to, I will kill you,” “I’m here to take out you and your kids,” and “I’m going to slit your throat,” or words to that effect.

Herrick was arrested on criminal threatening-deadly weapon, second-degree assault, two burglary charges, three simple assault charges, two criminal threatening charges, two reckless conduct charges, criminal mischief, and driving while deemed a habitual offender. She was processed and was due in Merrimack County Superior Court for arraignment on Jan. 20. After being arraigned, a homicide-attempt felony charge was added.

Herrick was indicted on March 15 on homicide-attempt, burglary, two reckless conduct counts, and three criminal threatening counts.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Hopkinton Police Department and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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