Investigators are seeking to identify and speak to a man in his 20s or 30s with brown hair they say is a person of interest in the murders of Concord couple Steve and Wendy Reid, Attorney General John Formella and Concord Police Chief Brad Osgood announced Tuesday.
The man was seen on April 18 near the Broken Ground trails where the Reids were shot, on the same day the outdoorsy retired couple left their Alton Woods apartment for an afternoon walk. The bodies of Steve and Wendy Reid were found on April 21 in a wooded area off the Marsh Loop Trail after worried family members reported them missing.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Geoff Ward encouraged anyone who can identify the person of interest to call Concord Police or the Concord Regional Crimeline.
"I will stress that he is a person of interest, that is, someone that investigators believe may have information about these crimes as either a witness or a suspect,” Ward said on Tuesday afternoon at the Incident Planning Operations Center.
The person depicted in a composite sketch is a 5’10 man of medium build in his early 20s to early 30s. He was seen carrying a black backpack and wearing khaki-colored pants and a dark blue jacket, which may have had a hood. Ward described the backpack as a school bag and not a large hiking backpack.
Police had received more than 170 tips in the Reid investigation so far, including dozens of new tips received after the composite sketch was released Tuesday, Ward said.
The Concord Regional Crimeline reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of anyone responsible for the double murder has increased from $5,000 to $33,500.
One anonymous donor contributed $20,000 of the reward but only for tipsters who come forward within the next 60 days. The Concord Police Patrolmen’s Association and Supervisors Association and the Retired New Hampshire State Police Troopers Association also donated money for the reward, along with another anonymous donor who gave $5,000.
"I think what we obviously hope that it means is that it will be an impetus for anyone who has, for whatever reason, held back to this point to come forward with any information they have,” Ward said of the reward’s size.
The Concord Regional Crimeline advertises rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in three cold cases: a homicide, disappearance and suspicious death.
Tips can be made to Concord Police at (603) 225-8600 or the Concord Regional Crimeline at (603) 226-3100.
Ward would not say whether investigators have a suspected motive for the killing or identify the precise spot where the Reids’ bodies were found.
“At this stage, it’s important that there’s information that’s only known to investigators and to the killer, that allows us to consider the credibility and evaluate the credibility of information that comes in and to prevent any witness tampering that may occur,” he said.
Osgood said that Concord Police have spent more time patrolling the community, including the city’s trail system, on bikes and four-wheelers.
“This investigation remains the Concord Police Department’s highest priority, not only from our detectives and investigators working directly on the case, but also our patrol division,” Osgood said. “It’s an exhausting investigation, but we have a really good staff.”
Ward said investigators do not have information indicating that the general public is in danger, but that residents should remain vigilant.
“I think the city of Concord is a safe city. It’s the safest state in the country. I still think Concord is safe, no matter where you go,” Osgood said.
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