Saturday, April 14, 2012

Greenland, NH: Attorney general: Mutrie killed girlfriend, self

GREENLAND -- Chief Medical Examiner Thomas Andrew has concluded suspected cop-killer Cullen Mutrie killed his girlfriend before taking his own life.

The N.H. Attorney General’s Office issued a statement Saturday afternoon stating an autopsy confirmed the manner of death for both Mutrie, 29, of 517 Post Road in Greenland, and Brittany Tibbetts, 26.

They both died following a drug bust gone bad involving members of the N.H. Drug Task Force and former Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney. Four officers were wounded in a blaze of gunfire that claimed the life of Maloney, 48. Maloney had a week to go before retirement.

According to Attorney General Michael Delaney, State Police Col. Robert Quinn and new Greenland Police Chief Tara Laurent, a Saturday autopsy concluded Mutrie’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The medical examiner ruled the manner of death a suicide, authorities said.

Mutrie also sustained a bullet graze wound to his arm, according to authorities.

The statement from the attorney general confirmed the identity of the deceased woman found at 517 Post Road as Tibbetts. The Portsmouth Herald learned Friday morning Tibbetts was killed during the hours-long standoff at Mutrie’s home and verified it via an interview with her mother, Donna Tibbetts of Berwick, Maine.

Brittany Tibbetts was shot in the head in what authorities declared a homicide. She did not have any additional wounds, according to the attorney general.

Donna Tibbetts told the Herald her daughter had left Mutrie in the weeks before the carnage out of concern for her own safety but returned to his side just days before Thursday’s shooting because she was worried about his mental state.

Brittany Tibbetts was a graduate of Noble High School, played softball and was named Gatorade Pitcher of the Year in 2003-04. She worked at Hair Excitement in the Fox Run Mall in Newington for five years and had dreams of opening her own salon, her mother said.

Mutrie had previously been charged with possession of liquid and powder forms of steroids. Police officers from multiple regional departments responded to his house Thursday to serve a search warrant and were greeted with gunfire.

No additional information was immediately available and no further briefings on the investigation are anticipated at this time.

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