Easton

NH woman killed in deadly hammer attack, grandson arrested

Attorney General John M. Formella says 23-year-old Joshua Lanchester is facing one count of second degree murder for recklessly causing the death of 76-year-old Cynthia Lanchester with a hammer

New details were released Sunday in the ongoing investigation into the murder of a 76-year-old woman who was allegedly killed by her grandson in a deadly hammer attack over the weekend in Easton, New Hampshire.

Attorney General John Formella announced autopsy results for Cynthia Lanchester Sunday night, saying her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head, and her manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Officials had previously revealed that Cynthia Lanchester's grandson, 23-year-old Joshua Lanchester, had been arrested Saturday and charged with one count of second degree murder for recklessly causing her death with a deadly weapon (a hammer).

Authorities have yet to release a motive in the case and say the exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain under active investigation.

While investigators are continuing to look into the sequence of events involving Joshua Lanchester, the attorney general's office previously said that responding state police troopers first encountered him when they responded to a 911 call for a medical emergency at 44 North Peak Drive around 11:41 a.m.

State police also found Cynthia Lanchester laying on the ground, dead with an apparent blunt force trauma wound, at that time.

Joshua Lanchester is currently being held without bail. He's scheduled to be arraigned Monday in 2nd Circuit Court -- District Division in Littleton. It wasn't immediately clear if he had obtained an attorney who could speak to the charge he's facing.

Contact Us