A New Hampshire woman who had been missing since January has been found deceased.
According to the Barnstead Police Department, Ashley Turcotte, 31, was found in a wooded area Saturday morning, off New Hope Road in Barnstead. Police previously found her abandoned car, along with some of her personal belongings, abandoned at the city’s town hall.
“It’s a very unfortunate outcome, but at least we’ve got some closure for the family, and really, that’s what we’ve been looking for at this point,” Barnstead police Chief Paul Poirier said, ABC 9 reports.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Turcotte was last seen on January 4 at a Dollar General in Barnstead. Police said she made purchases at the store at 9:18 a.m. and again at 10:44 a.m.
There were no cameras outside the store, police said, and the only images available from her last known whereabouts were from security footage inside the store.
“Barnstead Police is coordinating a search for missing person Ashley Turcotte on March 16-17 in wooded areas. Residents are asked to be aware of search teams and report any suspicious activity. Please cooperate and refrain from forming unauthorized search teams. #BarnsteadPolice“
— Rochester NH Scanner Alerts Media Group (@Rochnhscanner) March 15, 2024
Barnstead police said Turcotte was “an artist who always paints pumpkins for all of our town departments.”
Police, at this time, do not suspect foul play.
“There’s no reason to believe that there is any criminal element to this. We want the public to know there is no reason for concern,” Poirier said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo via Barnstead PD]
