Person Of Interest In NH Murder Case Caught In Massachusetts

CONCORD, NH — A man wanted for questioning in the murder of a resident of the Crutchfield Building apartment complex at 15 Pitman St. in Concord, New Hampshire, Friday has been apprehended. Joseph King Hanright, 29, was arrested Sunday in Methuen, Massachusetts, according to Derek Licata, the social media specialist for the Methuen Police Department. Licata stated on Twitter that Hanright was arrested in that city at around 1:30 a.m. on unrelated charges.

#Methuen Joseph Hanright the person of interest in the death from @ConcordPolice & the subject of yesterday search was arrested about 1:30 am today by @MethuenPolice officers on unrelated charges. All press inquires are directed to @ConcordPolice. @lawrencepolice MassStatePolice
— Methuen Police (@MethuenPolice) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/MethuenPol... 28, 2019

Hanright was wanted for questioning after police discovered Marshall John Villeneuve, 64, a resident of the building, had been killed in his apartment due to multiple stab wounds. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner's Office ruled Saturday that Villeneuve's death was a homicide case.

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Villeneuve's body was discovered at just before 8 p.m. Friday after police were called to the building, which is a public housing apartment complex for both the elderly and disabled. A neighbor reported hearing a long bang from a neighboring apartment, saw a man leave the area, and discovered blood on the floor when he went to investigate the noise. He then called 911. Local and state police were at the building for many hours on Friday and Saturday speaking to witnesses and gathering evidence.

On Friday night, police issued a statewide alert with a description of the suspect and a vehicle he might be in – the victim's blue Mazda 3 sedan. Early Saturday morning, police released video surveillance shots of the possible suspect.

About 12 hours later, the stolen vehicle was spotted in Methuen.

Police there warned residents that they were searching for a possibly armed and dangerous suspect out of New Hampshire who had abandoned a stolen car. A K-9 unit and a helicopter were searching for the suspect but they were unable to find him. Police surmised that the suspect may have been picked up from the area since the K-9 unit was able to track a scent but then, would lose the trail in the same area.

Hanright, who previously lived in both Allenstown and Derry, has been arrested and convicted a number of times, including in April 2018, when he and Amanda Bailey-Roberge of Weare were accused of attempting to rob the Kohl's in Hooksett. Hanright was out on probation-parole at the time of that incident. He was previously convicted on theft charges after being arrested in 2014, and 2016, in Concord.

Villeneuve, according to other tenants, was known to open his home to other homeless people, allowing them to sleep in his apartment for $10 a night fee. A neighbor told WMUR-TV that he was a quiet guy who kept to himself.

Riverbend Community Mental Health will be available to tenants today and Monday to speak to counselors about the incident.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact Lt. Sean Ford, the commander of the criminal investigations unit with the Concord Police Department, or leave an anonymous tip on the Concord Regional Crimeline at 603-226-3100.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Methuen 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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