Man living in woods convicted of murder in shooting deaths of New Hampshire couple
A man who was living in a tent in the woods of New Hampshire was convicted of murder Monday in the fatal shooting deaths of a retired couple who had taken a walk on a nearby trail.
After deliberating for a day and a half, a jury found Logan Clegg, 27, guilty of four counts of second-degree murder in the 2022 killings of Stephen and Djeswende Reid. Clegg was also convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and four counts of falsifying physical evidence by moving and concealing the bodies, burning his tent, and removing information from his laptop.
He faces up to life in prison when sentenced on Dec. 15, according to a release.
“Today our thoughts are with Stephen and Djeswende Reid, their family, and all those who knew and loved them,” said Attorney General John Formella in a statement.
Clegg is being held without bail pending sentencing. An attorney for Clegg did not respond to a request for comment.
‘Extreme indifference to human life’
Federal prosecutors said the couple left their home at 2:22 p.m. on Monday, April 18, 2022, to walk around the area of Broken Ground Trails. The Reids were not seen or heard after that.
Officials released an alert about the couple’s "suspicious deaths" a few days later, withholding their names as they notified the family.
On April 22, New Hampshire police identified the couple as Stephen Reid, 67, and Djeswende Reid, 66. Officials said their bodies were discovered several days later in a wooded area near a trail off of Portsmouth Street in Concord, the state’s capitol. Police said the bodies were dragged and covered with leaves, sticks, and debris.
Autopsies later revealed that the Reids died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors said Clegg "knowingly and recklessly" killed the couple and showed “extreme indifference to the value of human life by shooting them with a gun.”
Defense attorney: 'They got the wrong guy'
Clegg, who used a different name when police questioned him, had burned his tent, erased information on his computer, and bought a bus ticket out of the city, according to The Associated Press.
He was arrested in South Burlington, Vermont, with a gun in his backpack, a fake passport, and a one-way plane ticket to Berlin, officials said.
Clegg’s lawyers maintained his innocence and said he left New Hampshire not because of the murder charges, but because he was avoiding police after violating his probation on burglary and theft charges in Utah.
"Logan Clegg is not guilty," Defense attorney Mariana Dominguez said. "Police investigated, but instead of looking at the science and at the evidence with clear eyes, they speculated. They assumed. ... They saw only what they wanted to see. They got the wrong guy."
Prosecutors said Clegg’s attempt to flee and the gun found in his backpack showed evidence of guilt. Shell casings and bullet fragments consistent with material found during the autopsies were discovered at the crime scene and at Clegg’s tent site.
"A liar, a thief, a murderer has been brought to justice today, more importantly forever,” the couple’s son, Brian Reid, said after the verdict. "Let it be known that the legacy of my parents’ humanitarian work, their kindness, their love for life will endure. Let today be a reminder of the value of human life and the strength of community."
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Contributing: The Associated Press