Gertrude H. Sleeper, 84, a female from Littleton, New Hampshire, was discovered deceased in her home after police conducted a welfare check on December 17, 2019. Officers entered the residence at 18 Hilltop Manor and found Gertrude and her husband, Clarence W. “Web” Sleeper, 85, both dead from gunshot wounds. Autopsy findings determined that Gertrude died of a single gunshot wound to the head and that her death was a homicide.
Clarence also suffered a single gunshot wound to the head; his manner of death was ruled suicide.
Authorities described the case as a murder-suicide, naming Clarence as the sole suspect in his wife's killing before taking his own life. Because the suspected perpetrator was deceased, there were no arrests. The scene assessment and autopsy conclusions closed off the prospect of additional suspects, and officials indicated that no further information was expected beyond the autopsy results.
Public records and memorial notices place the couple in Littleton for many years; Gertrude's obituary lists her as a resident of the town and records her passing in December 2019, while community memorial pages remember her among those lost to gun violence in Littleton. Together, these accounts situate the tragedy firmly within the couple's longtime home and underscore its impact on the small community.
Subsequent reporting about the couple's estate described two people who loved the outdoors and their dogs, noting that they both had faced health issues and limited mobility before their deaths. In the months and years following, that same reporting reiterated the official determination of murder-suicide, with no outstanding persons of interest.
