Accused rapist found dead in Exeter

1-31-2013 New Hampshire:

XETER - An Epping man accused of raping a teenage girl was found dead of an apparent suicide Wednesday afternoon, police said.

The body of Donald Tilbe, 46, of 74 Railroad Ave., was discovered around 2 p.m. in a wooded area at the Connor Farm Wildlife Management Area, located off Route 101, police Capt. Bill Shupe said.

The death came less than a week after Epping police charged Tilbe with two counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault. Tilbe, who resigned his position as an employee at the Epping town dump last week, was accused of raping a 17-year-old girl at his residence last October and on Jan. 7.

He was arraigned Jan. 25 and was due back in court Feb. 1 for a probable cause hearing.

According to a police affidavit, Tilbe admitted to police that he had sexual relations with the girl on several occasions. ..Source.. by JASON SCHREIBER

Man Facing Child Molestation Trial Commits Suicide in Epping

5-8-2012 New Hampshire:

OSSIPEE — A Rochester man facing trial on child molestation charges in Ossipee was found dead of self-inflicted wounds in Epping.

In November, John Skerry Jr., 46, of Rochester, was indicted on six counts of felony extended-term aggravated felonious sexual assault for alleged crimes in Ossipee between July 1, 1999 and July 20, 2002.

Skerry was going to go to trial this week but when he didn't show up, Carroll County Superior Court judge Steven Houran issued a warrant for Skerry's arrest.

Epping police found Skerry's body at a New Hampshire Park and Ride on Route 125 just before 8 a.m. He died of a self-inflicted wound, said Epping police Capt. Jason Newman.

Ossipee police checked last known addresses for Skerry and were in contact with four other law enforcement agencies.

"It was sad it had to turn out this way," said Ossipee police Det. Sgt. Bob King. "The decision was his."

Skerry's first trial ended in a hung jury, said Carroll County Victim Witness Advocate Melissa Smith. Skerry was offered a plea deal of 7 1/2 to 15 years in prison. Without the deal, Skerry could have faced 40 to 80 years behind bars if convicted, said Smith.

"He didn't take it," said Smith of the plea deal.

Before this trial began, Houran decided prosecutors could use information about incidents of molestation that occurred in Massachusetts. Houran didn't let the jury hear about that in the first trial, said Smith. ... ..Source.. by The Conway Daily Sun

Doctor Accused Of Sexual Assault Found Dead

4-4-2012 New Hampshire:

Dr. Steven Churn Found Dead In Meredith

BOW, N.H. -- A doctor accused of sexually assaulting patients has been found dead in a hotel room in Meredith.

The Citizen reported that Dr. Steven Chern, who had surrendered his medical license, was found unresponsive Monday afternoon in a room at Church Landing. He was declared dead a short time later.

The 64-year-old Chern, formerly of the Bow Mills Family Practice, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of sexual assault involving a patient and faced separate charges of assaulting another patient. He had been arrested in October.

Chern was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, and a trial was scheduled for August. ..Source.. by WMUR New Hampshire

Police: Man kills self after cat sitters find porn cache

3-30-2010 New Hampshire:

LITTLETON – BREAKING NEWS: State police report Richard Swift, 71, is dead in an apparent suicide. More to follow.

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A mother and daughter taking care of a neighbor's pet ended up finding disturbing images in a man's apartment instead of the cat toy they were looking for, according to court reports.

After an investigation by Littleton police, Richard Swift, 71, of 507 Colonial Court was charged with five felony counts of possession of child pornography. He is free on $10,000 personal recognizance and will be back in court tomorrow for a probable cause hearing.

The five complaints on file at Littleton District Court graphically describe images of a girl who appears to be younger than 16.

According to court documents, the woman and her 5-year-old daughter went to Swift's apartment while he was out of town last November to feed his cat.

"She inadvertently came across some picture when her daughter opened a bin looking for a cat toy," according to court papers.

After getting a search warrant, police returned to Swift's apartment, where they searched a stack of plastic bins and found a stack of photographs.

Conditions of Swift's bail include not having contact with children younger than 17 and not going within 50 yards of any school or day care center, or using the Internet to view, download or transmit child pornography. ..Source.. by LORNA COLQUHOUN

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NH Man Facing Porn Charges Commits Suicide

4-6-2010 New Hampshire:

LITTLETON, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire man facing child pornography charges after images were discovered in his home apparently has committed suicide.

State Police have identified a man found on Route 3 in Franconia Monday with self-inflicted gunshot wounds as Richard Swift, 71, of Littleton.

He was charged with five counts of possessing nude images of young girls, and was due in court Thursday.

The charges stem from a November incident in which the 5-year-old daughter of his cat-sitter discovered the pictures while searching for a cat toy in an open bin.

State police confirmed Swift's identity and said he was pronounced dead after being rushed to Littleton Regional Hospital soon after he was discovered at about 4 p.m.

Police released no further details, including whether Swift was in a vehicle. ..Source.. by FOX44.com

NH- Man killed in Lakes Region crash faced trial

4-25-2009 New Hampshire:

SANDWICH – A man who died in a single-vehicle crash on Squam Lake Road Friday morning was facing trial on four charges of equipment theft later this year in Carroll County Superior Court.

State Police said that Andrew Alimonti, 52, of Moultonborough, was a passenger in a 1991 Pontiac Firebird being driven by Scott Condit, 39, of Conway, which was westbound and went off the right side of the roadway shortly after 7 a.m. and collided with a tree.

Police said Alimonti died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash, which took place less than a half mile east of the Sandwich town beach on Squam Lake. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Medical Examiner Will Bartels.

Condit was transported to Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia where police say he is being treated for serious, but non-life threatening injuries.

Police said the accident is still under investigation but it does not appear that excessive speed or alcohol contributed to the crash.

Alimonti was indicted last year on four counts of receiving stolen property according to Carroll County Attorney Robin Gordon, who said the cases had not yet been scheduled for trial.

She said Alimonti had also been arrested in 2008 for failure to register as a sex offender with the Moultonborough Police Department.

Three weeks ago Moultonborough Police recovered a SUV belonging to Alimonti from a 15-foot-deep hole on his property on Dufault Road property.

Lt. Thomas Dawson of the Moultonborough Police Department said that the SUV belonged to Alimonti but police did not believe he was the person who buried it.

Dawson said Friday that the investigation into the incident is continuing.

Police were alerted to the buried vehicle following an incident at Alimonti’s property on March 31 in which a tenant, Michael Salsman, 34, allegedly beat his wife, Alacea Dyer Salsman, 23, and attempted to stab her with a butcher knife.

According to police, Alimonti took the knife away from Salsman, who faces five felony charges, including attempted murder, and is currently being held on $25,000 cash bail at the Carroll County House of Corrections.

Alimonti was arrested in April 2008 on charges of receiving stolen property after police found a stolen Caterpillar front end loader, which had been reported missing from the parking lot at the Steeplegate Mall in Concord, in his driveway.

The vehicle identification plates and decals had been removed and the exterior company decals had been scraped off the loader and the surface painted over.

Police said that the loader was seized and with assistance from the State Police- Highway Enforcement Division and was positively identified as the one which had been stolen in Concord in early 2008.

In addition to the front-end loader, which was valued at $40,000, police also recovered a 1987 Case backhoe loader valued at $18,000, a John Deere bulldozer valued at $40,000, a Bobcat loader valued at $14,000, and a 2001 Ski-Doo snowmobile, which had been reported stolen. Police said the total value of all of the stolen equipment, some of which had been missing for 10 years, was over $150,000. ..Source.. by ROGER AMSDEN, New Hampshire Union Leader Correspondent