Hunt For NH Career Criminal Douglas Smith Goes National

CONCORD, NH — As the effort to capture a career criminal wanted on aggravated felonious sexual assault, second-degree assault, and other charges enters its third month, investigators in New Hampshire are getting a helping hand from the A&E television network. Live PD on A&E posted a new video featuring Douglas Smith Jr., the felon and sex offender who has not been seen since January but is wanted on a slew charges. Both the New Hampshire State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service have posted alerts asking for the public's help with tips to capture Smith but, so far, have had no luck.

Lt. Michael Kokoski of Troop C confirmed Friday that there were no substantive updates in the case.

Officials have had a couple of near misses attempting to capture Smith.

A tip by a bounty hunter on March 3 led investigators to the southeastern part of Concord near steel businesses but he was not there. A couple of days later, a "shots fired" call to Warner, not far from where Smith used to live, led a battalion of police to the scene. The incident ended up having no connection to the case.

There is currently a $2,500 reward connected to Smith's arrest.

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The A&E feature noted some aspects of the case that were already known — including the suspicion that an extensive network of friends was helping Smith elude capture. There was also mention of the Trish Haynes disappearance, her body being recovered in a Grafton pond, and that she lived with Smith and his wife for a period of time before she disappeared — with a disclaimer that neither Smith nor his wife have been charged in that case.

Brandon Wilson of the U.S. Marshals Service said investigators know that Smith was "a diesel lover" and is often connected to trucks like Ford F-250s.

"We believe he's with his wife still, Ashley Smith ... somebody is probably helping out with a place to stay," Wilson told A&E. "He switches cars all the time … he definitely likes the diesel trucks."

The Live PD on A&E video can be found here.

Smith is 31, 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs around 250 lbs., and has black hair and brown eyes. He was last known to be living in Croydon but has also lived in Danbury, Grafton, and Warner.

His criminal history, which dates back close to 15 years, includes a felonious sexual assault conviction as well as burglary, theft, harassment, assault, violation of probation or parole and violation of protective orders, receiving stolen property, duty to inform, resisting arrest, breach of bail, and numerous driving after revocation or suspension charges between since 2018.

Last year, Smith was convicted on receiving stolen property, tampering with public records-info, unsworn falsification, and commitment in default of recognizance. Smith was also indicted on a vote fraud charge and in December 2019 was indicted on felon in possession of a weapon and reckless conduct charges after being accused of firing a gun at a motor vehicle in Warner in August 2019. He was arrested in September on the shooting case and indicted last year.

Anyone who knows where Smith is or sees someone that looks like him should call police, state police at 603-223-4381, or the task force at 603-225-1632.

Got a news tip? Send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube channel.