CONCORD, Mass. — A New Hampshire man is being accused of killing his girlfriend with a piece of furniture.
Authorities said police responded to a reported domestic disturbance at an apartment in Manchester on Tuesday.
A woman called 911 from the Amory Street apartment saying "Damien" was pounding on her door.
When police arrived, they found 45-year-old Jennifer Burpee dead. They said they found her boyfriend, 35-year-old Damien Seace, hiding in a bathroom.
Seace was arrested on alternative counts of knowing and reckless second-degree murder in Burpee's death. Police said Burpee suffered blunt force trauma from a piece of furniture.
He was arraigned on Wednesday in Hillsborough County Superior Court.
The victim's neighbor, Sean Burns, said he heard a chaotic scene.
"Apparently, I heard some yelling and screaming in the apartment, apparently an argument," Burns said.
Burns lives two doors down from Burpee.
When Burns saw Seace, he was "banging on the door, banging on the door, just banging on the door."
Police say Burpee was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher while inside of her 7th floor apartment, saying "Damien" was pounding on her door.
"Ten minutes later, I heard a loud crash," Burns said.
Burns said the argument may have been over the victim's cat.
"Before I opened the door, I heard the words, 'Please put down the cat,'" Burns said.
Neighbors told Boston 25 News that Burpee was new to the apartments, where she moved in 3 to 4 months ago.
Police are asking anyone who was in the area of 55 Amory Street between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesday and may have heard or seen something related to this incident to call Manchester PD at 603-668-8711.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Cox Media Group
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