Man Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter in Beating Death of His Father in 2003

CONCORD – Douglas Herlihy, 40, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Hillsborough County Superior Court – Southern District to one count of manslaughter and one count of attempted falsification of physical evidence in the beating death of his father, Paul Herlihy, 50, in Milford between Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, 2003.

Douglas Herlihy was 17 years old at the time of the homicide. A sworn statement in court records said Paul Herlihy’s body was found in his 425 Nashua St., home in Milford by the Milford Police during a welfare check at the home.

“The police found the decomposing body wrapped in a carpet and covered by a blue tarp. A subsequent investigation and autopsy revealed that Paul Herlihy died as a result of multiple blunt force trauma sometime between August 23, 2003, and August 27, 2003,” the statment said.

Herlihy’s guilty pleas were entered pursuant to a fully negotiated plea agreement. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in early 2027.

Under the plea agreement, which is subject to the court’s acceptance, Herlihy faces a stand-committed sentence of 12 to 24 years in the New Hampshire State Prison on the manslaughter charge. He will be eligible for a one-year reduction to his minimum sentence if he successfully completes the Focus program while in custody.

The agreement also provides for a three and a half to seven-year sentence, fully suspended for a period of 20-years, on the attempted falsification of physical evidence charge. The remaining indicted counts, including the alternative counts of second-degree murder, will be dismissed pursuant to the agreement.

“This case is a reminder that the pursuit of justice does not end with the passage of time,” said Attorney General John Formella.

“The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit and our law enforcement partners remain committed to pursuing answers and accountability, even decades after a crime. That work takes persistence, patience and a determination to follow the evidence wherever it leads. I commend the investigators and prosecutors whose continued efforts brought this case to an important resolution.”

The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit, the Milford Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Rachel C. Harrington and Cold Case Unit Chief R. Christopher Knowles.

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