NH Pair Who Died in MD Chase, Crash Could Be Connected to Concord Robbery

CONCORD, NH — The recent robbery at a Concord gas station and the death of two Granite State residents with criminal histories after a high-speed chase in Maryland may be connected. Investigators in two states are eyeing whether or not Kaili M. Pierce, 28, of Concord, and Stephen K. Reinholz, 28, of Laconia, robbed the Gully Hill Shell gas station in Concord on March 17, 2017, before dying in a pickup truck crash two days later on I-95 North in Elkton, MD.

According to officials in Maryland, on Sunday morning, an officer attempted to stop a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado just north of the Fort McHenry Tunnel, according to a post on Perryville MD Patch, that had been previously reported stolen from Laconia on the same day as the gas station robbery in Concord. When an officer tried to stop the vehicle, police allege Reinholz, who was driving, continued on, and a pursuit began into Harford and Cecil counties.

Reinholz lost control of the vehicle and crashed, killing himself and Pierce, who was a passenger in the pickup truck, after a 50 mille pursuit, according to officials. The crash backed up traffic on I-95 for miles, with around a four-hour travel delay, according to officials.

Meanwhile, back in Concord, police issued a Concord Regional Crimeline alert late Friday afternoon with video surveillance stills of a woman who reportedly stole cash and lottery tickets from the store. Also caught on the surveillance video was a shot of the pickup truck that the alleged robber left in – which matches the description of the same model reported stolen in Laconia and that was involved in the deadly Maryland crash. Pictures on her Facebook site also match the description of the woman involved in the robbery.

Just hours before the crash, members of Reinholz’s family were posting notes on Facebook asking if anyone had heard from him since he had been missing and family members were worried about him.

Lt. Sean Ford, the commander of the criminal investigations unit for the Concord Police Department, would not comment specifically on any possible connection between the cases because they are still open investigations. He added that the department was pursuing several leads and was in contact with authorities in Maryland who were also gathering evidence.

It is also unknown if the pair were potentially involved in other robberies along the Northeast corridor.

Both Reinholz and Pierce were well known criminal figures in both the capital region and Lakes Region, according to previous arrest reports and conviction histories, as noted in press reports during the past eight years.

Belknap County Superior Court records, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader, show that Reinholz had a lengthy record of thefts and two prior vehicle theft convictions. He was sentenced to prison in 2013 on a jewelry theft rap. The newspaper noted that Reinholz was also a suspect in a home invasion case in Weirs Beach police were in the process of investigating. In 2009, Reinholz was indicted on theft charges, according to Fosters.com, as well as receiving stolen property charges – for having a .22 caliber revolver and a Jeep owned by others. He was also indicted for theft and driving under the influence that year.

While living in Boscawen in May 2013, Pierce was arrested on a simple assault charge. In March 2014, she was arrested on a burglary warrant after police were sent to a domestic incident on Fisherville Road. A few months later, in August 2014, Pierce was arrested for a theft charge after an alleged incident at the Irving on Fisherville Road. At the time of the arrest, she was being held at the Merrimack County House of Corrections on other charges.

Elizabeth Janney assisted with this report.