Breaking News Headlines 3-23-2023
An autopsy is scheduled for today on the body of a man who was found dead following a fire in Manchester. The blaze happened yesterday at a residence on Leda Avenue and when crews go the scene, smoke and flames were coming from the house. It’s believed the fire began in the kitchen but the cause is still being looked into. One firefighter needed treatment for a minor hand injury. The identity of the man who died hasn’t been released.
Manchester police say they’ve made an arrest in connection with the brutal assault of an infant. Officers were called to an address on Conant Street earlier this month and arrived to find a two-month-old girl unresponsive. It was later determined that she suffered head and neck trauma and that she had been attacked by 19-year-old Tommie Johnson. He was taken into custody earlier this week but officials haven’t revealed the nature of his relationship with the victim.
A former New Hampshire marina manager has been sentenced for his role in some disturbing crimes. Yesterday, a judge ordered 56-year-old John Murray the third to spend 25 years behind bars for taking part in sex trafficking and producing sexually explicit videos and photos of children. Murray worked at the West Alton Marina and was in charge of hiring and supervising seasonal employees, many of whom were minors. Prosecutors say the acts he committed date back to at least 2015.
An investigation is underway after thousands of dollars worth of damage was done at a cemetery in Manchester. Over a dozen headstones at Merrill Cemetery were recently found knocked down, shattered, or in some cases covered in paint. The head of the New Hampshire Cemetery Association says many cemeteries aren’t checked during the winter months, so it’s hard to tell when this vandalism may have happened. Anyone with information is asked to call 603-668-8711.
In Maine, a bill that would’ve increased fines for drivers who were caught using their cellphone while behind the wheel has been rejected by the state legislature. The proposal called for people to have to pay up to 500-dollars for their first violation and up to one-thousand bucks for their second. Now that the measure has been dropped, a fine for a first violation will remain at 50-dollars. Lawmakers are now calling on state agencies to step up efforts and warn Mainers about the dangers of distracted driving.
