Dover Deaths Ruled Murder-Suicide By State Medical Examiner

PORTSMOUTH, NH - A New Hampshire medical examiner ruled last week that a Dover man murdered his girlfriend then killed himself at their home on Apr. 16. According to Seacoast Online, Dover resident Daniel Barnes murdered his Meghan Thomas then killed himself at their Palmer Drive home where they were found dead by police.

According to a release from the attorney general’s office, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie Duval ruled that Thomas, 36, died from stab wounds to her neck and chest and the manner of death was homicide.

Duval determined the cause of Barnes’ death was hanging and the manner of death was suicide. Both lived at 5 Palmer Drive in Dover, located off Littleworth Road near the Madbury border.

Dover Police were called to the residence by a 911 call around 8:20 a.m. Monday. The 911 caller was a driver who reported seeing a dead person in the back yard, according to the attorney general. Arriving officers found Barnes dead hanging in a tree in the back yard. Police found a door to the house that was unlocked. After knocking, they entered the home to find Thomas’ body in the living room, the attorney general said. Barnes and Thomas were the only residents of the home.

To read the full story, visit Seacoast Online.