In the early evening of November 3, 2015, a violent act shattered the quiet of a Manchester, New Hampshire neighborhood. Michael Kelly Pittman, a 37-year-old Caucasian male, was fatally shot outside of his residence at 472 Granite Street. The incident, which occurred at approximately 6:20 p.m., was quickly determined by authorities to be a homicide and not a random act of violence. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of Mr.
Pittman's death was a gunshot wound to the torso.
The investigation into the shooting was a collaborative effort between the Manchester Police Department and the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office. While the initial stages of the investigation did not immediately lead to an arrest, law enforcement officials assured the public that they were diligently working to apprehend the person or persons responsible. They urged citizens to remain vigilant and encouraged anyone with information to come forward. The diligent efforts of the investigators were crucial in piecing together the events that led to the untimely death of Michael Pittman.
Ultimately, the investigation led to the arrest and prosecution of a suspect. Paulson Papillon was charged in connection with the murder of Michael Pittman. After a trial, a jury found Papillon guilty of Second-Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder. For these crimes, the court imposed a significant sentence. Papillon was sentenced to 33 years to life in prison for the murder charge, with an additional consecutive sentence of 10 to 30 years for the conspiracy charge. These sentences were to be served after the completion of a prison term Papillon was already serving for a felony drug possession charge and another sentence related to smuggling contraband into prison.
