The Hooksett Banner ­ October 7, 2004

Triple murder in Manchester Memorial is rededicated 73 dogs too many? Bachelders ready to rebuild burned barn Nevada murder-suicide tied to Candia, Hooksett cases	Are you interested in chatting about Hooksett issues? Want to help plan Hooksett's future? Check out the new Internet chat group begun by the master plan committee at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hooksett_chat/ Auburn has a similar group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auburn/

Hooksett/Manchester

Triple murder in Manchester

Hooksett woman, two kids found dead
in her brother's Johnson Street home;
he runs in front of truck on I-93

By DEVON CORMIER
Staff Writer
dcormier@yourneighborhoodnews.com

A Hooksett mother and her two young children were found dead in her brother's Manchester home on the night of Monday, Oct. 4,.

Police are investigating what they call a triple homicide.

A confusing and tragic string of events was set in motion on Monday night, concluding with Manchester police officer Richard Ell discovering the three bodies at around 9:05 p.m.

The bodies of Tricia Doyle, 30, and her two children, Gillian, 4, and James, 2, were found in Christopher Bernard's home at 61 Johnson St. in Manchester, just west of Mammoth Road. Bernard is Tricia Doyle's brother.

The Doyles reside at 18 Helen Drive, Hooksett, located in a neighborhood off Bypass 28.

Hours earlier, around 6 p.m., Bernard, 35, was seriously injured when he walked into the path of an oncoming dump truck on Interstate 93 during rush hour. Bernard was hospitalized in good condition at Elliot Hospital. A hospital spokesman said Bernard was still at the hospital on Wednesday, Oct. 6, in good condition.

No charges had been filed as of Oct. 6, and an investigation by the Manchester Police Department and the Attorney General's Office is underway.

Assistant Attorney General Jeffery Strelzin said Manchester police have a lot of of legwork to do.

"The police officers are out there at the house," Strelzin said. "They are going through the home, talking to people that knew them. They are still out at the scene. No one has been arrested or charged."

Strelzin declined to comment about who the suspect or suspects may be. Although no one had been arrested as of Wednesday,
Oct. 6, the Manchester Police Department spokesman said they have no reason to believe the general public is at risk.

Autopsies by the chief medical examiner are expected to reveal the causes of the deaths. The autopsies began on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 6, and the results are expected by Thursday, Oct. 7.

Events unravel

Brent Gagne, who lives a few houses down from the Doyles on Helen Drive, said that when Robert Doyle returned home on Monday night around sunset, he called Brent to ask if he had seen Tricia and the children or knew where they were, as they were not at home.

Gagne said he hadn't seen them, but his wife, Melissa Gagne, had spoken with Tricia Doyle on the phone at about 3:50 p.m. Melissa Gagne said nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Not long after calling Brent Gagne, Robert Doyle learned that Bernard "had tried to take his life on the highway," said Brent Gagne.

He said Robert Doyle went to Elliot Hospital expecting to find his wife there, and called Gagne, frantic when he couldn't find her.

"I said, 'Hang up and call 911,'" Gagne said. "Something wasn't right. Then the police showed up at his house and things started unraveling. He has lost everything."

The Gagnes and the Doyles were great friends since the Doyles moved to the neighborhood two years ago. Their children were the same ages and shared play dates.

"How do you explain to a 4-year-old what happened?" Brent asked. "It's tough for us as parents to tell her they're not coming back. We said, 'We'll all see them again later at our own times.'"

The police department's computer log says it received a call from Elliot Hospital at 7:34 p.m., but does not state a reason for the call. At 8:19 p.m. a cruiser was sent to the house, but a report was not filed. Strelzin said that no officers entered the house at that time. Not until close to an hour later was officer Ell sent back to the residence for a report of a "murder-knife or cutting instrument."

That is when, at approximately 9:05 p.m., Ell discovered the three bodies.

Hooksett

Memorial is rededicated

By GINGER KOZLOWSKI
Staff Writer
editor@hooksettbanner.com

There was a general feeling of astonishment among those attending the Hooksett Memorial School rededication ­ astonishment that an old school could look so unrecognizably new, and that such a project could be achieved on time and under budget. Hooksett's old middle school reopened as a school for grades 3, 4 and 5 this September after being closed for a year to be renovated. Those familiar with the old building were hard pressed to find evidence any part of it still exists. Today, one enters the building through what was the right side of the old school, parking in a lot that did not exist and was formerly wooded lot. The old front of the school where the gym/cafeteria was has a new addition in front of it. There is now a large library with computers, a separate computer lab, and many new classrooms. Even the old hallways and classrooms have new floor and ceiling tiles and paint. How to tell the old from the new? Former school board chairman Becky Berk has the clue: "The only way to tell is that the old hallways are narrower," she said.

TOUR GUIDE ­ Ashley McGreavey, a fifth-grader at the newly renovated Hooksett Memorial School, checks a map to be sure of the route she is to take visitors on.

Residents, children, school staff and officials, and other officials came out Saturday, Oct. 2, to celebrate the reopening of the school.

Orion LeBlanc and Brendan Langton,third- and fifth-graders respectively, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Lexy Keating, Evyn Norman and Madelyne Bergeron, again from each grade, spoke about what they liked about the new school.

Then the adults took their turns. SAU 15 Superintendent Armand LaSelva noted that it's wonderful to have the new building, but it's the children and teachers who make it a living organism. Teacher Daniel Gillen described the sense of spirit created by the new building among all who spend their days there.

School board member John Pieroni gave a history of the project, explaining how it all started with a space needs committee in 1998, then failed to get enough votes to happen in 2000, but was approved in March of 2002. Construction on the school was finishing just as it opened for the first day of school.

"It was tight. Really tight," said Pieroni. "But we got it done."

Final costs for the school came in under the budgeted $8 million.

The school's name was explained by school board member Ron Dion. In 1963, a contest to name the school took place, and Carol Morin won with the simple "Hooksett Memorial School." She was tracked down by Dion to give the reason for the name, and told him it was because there were no memorials anywhere in Hooksett to veterans in town. Dion noted the name's relevance to today. "Today, our soldiers are in Afghanistan and Iraq," he said. "Isn't this a nice way to symbolize our support?" School board Chairman James Sullivan had a special place for the school in his heart. "It is from this stage I graduated 25 years ago," he said. Everyone, from the builder to the school board and committees who planned the school, to the families of those who had to deal with the long nights they put in were thanked. Sullivan presented a golden key to Principal Carol Soucy, a symbol of her guardianship of the newly renovated building.

THANKS ­ School board member Joann McHugh thanks "clerk of the works" Jack Wilkins for a great job on the school. (Ginger Kozlowski Photos)

"As I stand here," said Soucy, "my heart is very full."

She, in turn, thanked all who helped in the move from Village School and who helped build a new playground.

Following the ceremony, tours of the building were given by students at the school.

Candia

73 dogs too many?

Woman fights to sell, breed dogs from home

By JENNIFER CLAISE
Staff Writer
jclaise@yourneighborhoodnews.com

The Candia Zoning Board recently denied a variance for a Hemlock Drive woman who has been breeding and selling shih-tzu dogs in her home since the early 1970s.

At the board's meeting Thursday, Sept. 23, Cheryl Wozmak was told she would need a variance to continue to sell the puppies, since commercial operations are not allowed in the residential zone where she lives.

Wozmak said she has about 73 dogs, approximately 27 of which are used for breeding. She also has several older dogs with special needs that she cares for. The rest are puppies, and Wozmak estimated that she has sold about 30 this year.

Wozmak said that the dogs are also some of her closest companions.

"They're my life," Wozmak said. "I'd sooner leave town than get rid of them."

According to one state statute, a seller is classified as a commercial kennel when he or she sells 50 or more puppies each year, or who derives 40 percent or more of his or her gross annual income from the sale of dogs.

Wozmak said she does not meet either of these thresholds, and will challenge any attempt to prevent her from continuing her business.

But in a letter dated Sept. 30, building inspector Charley Mewkill told Wozmak that she would no longer be allowed to run the kennel. And according to meeting minutes, Mewkill said if all the dogs were spayed or neutered, the operation would no longer be considered a commercial kennel.

"I'll definitely be talking to my lawyer about this," Wozmak said.

According to the minutes, Chairman William Stevens said it was not up to the board to determine whether Wozmak is operating a commercial kennel; members simply had to decide whether to grant a variance to operate a commercial kennel on the location.

Gary York, who attended the meeting as a neighbor and not a selectman, said the main objection to the variance is that future owners of the property could operate a large-scale kennel there, which could possibly disturb neighbors.

York said several of Wozmaks' neighbors also attended the meeting, and none of them are bothered by their current activities.

"The Wozmaks have been good neighbors, citizens and taxpayers, and no one is personally against them," York said. "You don't hear or see the dogs from outside of the home."

Town health officer Mary Hall inspected the Wozmaks' home July 13 and said conditions there were clean and that all the dogs, which are kept in penned areas in the basement, appeared to be healthy.

"There was no defined odor emanating from the room, papers were on the floor for elimination, water bowls were evident and several doggie beds were against the walls," her report states.

Wozmak said the waste created by caring for her dogs is taken away by a private hauler and does not go to the town's recycling center.

Wozmak said she became very upset during the meeting and that the situation is causing her a great deal of stress.
"I'm going through a lot, and I really don't need more grief right now," Wozmak said.

But York said the town's zoning laws must be adhered to.

"As a selectman, I have to enforce the laws, and we will," York said.

Epsom

Bachelders ready to rebuild burned barn

By JODI WOLFE
Staff Writer
jwolfe@yourneighborhoodnews.com

The Bachelder family is getting ready to build a new barn with the money from their insurance company and generous donations from the community.

The family's dairy barn at the Spooky View Farm burned down on Aug. 27, leaving about 70 cows homeless and hurting their family dairy business. The animals, including two calves that were born that night, were immediately brought to the Yeaton Dairy Farm.

About one week after the fire, the insurance company allowed the Bachelders to clear the charred remains of the barn, and they were able to recover their milking tank, said Ruth Bachelder, who owns the farm with her husband, Charlie.

"Things are going forward," said her son, Keith Bachelder, who owns the cows.

Things are moving along with the insurance company, the New Hampshire Farmer's Bureau. The Bachelders have received some insurance money and will receive more when they fill out more paperwork.

"I'm happy with that," Keith Bachelder said.

The Epsom-Chichester Lions club raised around $2,100 for the Bachelders. They raised half the money through donation cans that were distributed throughout the community and then matched what was raised.

"It's always been a policy of the Lions to match that," said Judi Gibson, publicity chairman.

One of the Epsom-Chichester Lions, Henry Stoneham, helped build the original roof on the Balchelder's barn.

"(It was) pretty significant for him," Gibson said. "Here he was putting out cans because the barn he helped to build burned down."
The Lions last donated money for a major fire in 1999, said Gibson.

The Bachelders also received $1,000 from one of the members of Charlie Bachelder's high school class. Fifteen out of 45 of the Pembroke Academy class of were contacted to donate, he said.

"People have been so nice," Ruth Bachelder said. "I',ll never be able to thank them all."

A fund was also set up at the Bank of New Hampshire for donations.

The cows, including the calves, are adjusting well at the Yeaton Dairy Farm, said Keith Bachelder.

"They didn't know any better," he said about the calves. "That's the only environment they've been in. They're fine."

He was able to set up his milk tank at the Yeaton Dairy Farm to separate his milk from the Yeatons.'

"It's going to make things a lot easier, that's for sure," he said.

Currently, the Bachelders are working on filling the site of the new barn with gravel to raise the land and measure where the building will sit. They have about 2,000 yards of fill to go before the area can be covered with concrete for the base of the barn, said Charlie Bachelder.

"I don't expect we'll have much here before spring," Keith Bachelder said. "It's going to take a while to get it built."

The new barn will be bigger ,and they are going to look at different barns to get ideas, Charlie Bachelder said.

While there will be more room for cows, Keith Bachelder said he will add them slowly.

When the barn is finished, the family plans to have an open house for members of the community to attend.

Candia/Hooksett

Nevada murder-suicide tied to Candia, Hooksett cases

By JENNIFER CLAISE
Staff Writer
jclaise@yourneighborhoodnews.com

A man who was involved in a 12-hour standoff with Candia police 15 years ago jumped to his death from the Hoover Dam Tuesday, Sept. 28.

Larry Joyce, 34, of Laconia, is also accused of killing his girlfriend, Rebecca Roux, 27, who lived in Sanford, Maine, before committing suicide.

According to Las Vegas police, Joyce placed a 911 call early Tuesday, telling the dispatcher Roux's death was an accident and that police could find her body in the Treasure Island hotel-casino.

But Joyce had strong ties to Candia. On Sept. 12, 1989, Joyce barricaded himself underneath a Patten Hill Road home with two handguns and 60 rounds of ammunition. After hiding in the crawl space under the house and trading his bullets for ice cream and cigarettes, Joyce eventually surrendered to SWAT officers.

Joyce was also found guilty of kidnapping and sexual assault after approaching a girl in a parked car at Shaw's Supermarket in Hooksett earlier in 1989, forcing her to drive at gunpoint to his parents' vacant home at 130 Main Street, where he sexually assaulted her, according to Candia Police Chief Michael McGillen.

But after being held for less than a year on those charges, Joyce was released and returned to Candia in 1990.

McGillen said Joyce returned to the home of his victim on June 29, 1990, abducting her again at gunpoint and forcing her to drive to Laconia, where he later surrendered to police.

Joyce began serving a three- to six-year sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and criminal threatening on Dec. 7, 1990. He was paroled Oct. 22, 1992, and his parole period ended Dec. 5, 1996.

Clay Whitfield, of Candia Road, got involved in the 1989 standoff with police after Joyce stole a fire department vehicle and ditched it in Whitfield's yard before retreating to the Patten Hill house.

Whitfield said he only spoke with Joyce briefly before Joyce barricaded himself in the crawl space, but for some reason, Joyce asked to speak with him while he was negotiating with police.

Although police were apprehensive about having a civilian involved, Whitfield said Joyce's public defender, who was also at the scene, helped to convince them.

"I still clearly remember sticking my head under there and seeing him all lit up, sitting in the dirt," Whitfield said.
He had no clue how many guns were pointed at him at that time."

While speaking with Joyce, Whitfield learned he was upset over a girl who had rejected him, and said he was feeling suicidal.

"I told him, 'You're a young guy, you don't want to kill yourself over a girl,'" Whitfield said.

Eventually, Whitfield offered to trade Joyce ice cream and cigarettes for bullets, one at a time.

"I pretty much burned out my freezer giving him my ice cream," Whitfield said.

When Joyce finally surrendered, Whitfield said he was in the street near the house. Joyce's lawyer thanked him for his help, and Whitfield spoke his final words to Joyce.

"I just told him to keep his head up," Whitfield said. "I never spoke with him again."

Keeping the beat

Hooksett Cawley School music teacher Andrew Lalos assists the Central High School marching band in the firefighters' parade on Saturday, Oct. 2. The parade kicked off Fire Prevention Week. All three city high schools marched. (Ginger Kozlowski Photo)