In the quiet town of Barrington, New Hampshire, a tragedy unfolded in late March of 2014, forever altering the lives of a local family. On March 29th, the body of 44-year-old Pauline Grassett, a White/Caucasian female, was discovered in her home on Layne Farm Drive. The initial scene was one of grim discovery, leaving friends and the community in a state of shock and disbelief.
Concerns for Pauline's welfare were first raised by a friend who had plans with her that day.
Unable to reach her by phone and receiving no answer at the door, despite both of the Grassetts' cars being in the garage, the friend contacted the authorities. Responding Barrington police officers found the home locked and were unable to gain entry. The Barrington Fire Department was called to the scene to assist. Using a ladder to peer into an upstairs window, first responders made the heartbreaking discovery of Pauline's body in a bedroom; she was clearly deceased.
Upon forcing entry into the home, law enforcement officials discovered a second body, that of Pauline's 61-year-old husband, Glenn Grassett. He was found in the first-floor master bedroom. The subsequent investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office and the Chief Medical Examiner determined the tragic sequence of events that had transpired within the home.
The official investigation concluded that Glenn Grassett shot his wife multiple times before turning the gun on himself. Pauline's death was officially ruled a homicide, and her husband's death was ruled a suicide. The investigation revealed no prior reports of violence or threats by Glenn towards Pauline, and those who knew the couple believed their intended divorce was amicable. The motive behind the murder-suicide remains a somber mystery, leaving a community to mourn the violent end to a life. No other suspects were ever sought in connection with this case, as the evidence pointed solely to a tragic act of murder-suicide.
