New Hampshire

Squatters will be kicked out of homes under new bill

Published

2 years ago

June 10, 2024

Squatters will be kicked out of homes under new bill

A bill in New Hampshire aims to ensure that individuals who are deemed illegal occupants of someone else’s property, or a squatter, can be removed from the home. But the legislation also plans to distinguish that scenario with situations where a landlord accuses a resident of a home of being a squatter when that individual has a prior history to the property, a legislator told Newsweek.

Lawmakers in the New Hampshire House of Representatives on Thursday will vote on HB1400 after legislators from the state’s senate met with colleagues from the house and moved forward the bill that will make clear who constitutes a squatter and who does not.

“It was really important that if someone is truly criminally trespassing, if someone goes on vacation and somebody breaks into their house, they come home from vacation and there is someone squatting in their home, that person is criminally trespassing and they should be removed by law enforcement immediately,” State Representative Rebecca McWilliams, who is also running for the state senate, told Newsweek.

But she added that lawmakers wanted to also draw a line between that situation with what she described as a gray area.

“Which is when someone has been a tenant, they have an oral or a text message chain that could be construed as [an agreement.] That eviction process should be through the courts and that should be a 48-hour emergency hearing,” McWilliams said.

The issue of squatting has gained national headlines and some legislators across the country are introducing legislation to combat it. But experts have pointed out that incidents of individuals taking over other people’s properties with little or no evidence of legal rights over those homes are rare. They have suggested that some landlords are using the issue of squatting to attempt to deny some residents their legal rights.

McWilliams told Newsweek that the bill in New Hampshire that will be under consideration aims to make clear what side of the issue authorities can look at.

“We don’t want people presenting evidence to Sheriffs, Sheriffs [making decisions],” she said. “We want to direct it straight to a judge to determine whether there was or was not [trespassing].”

McWilliams noted that it was rare for situations of individuals establishing residents in homes without any established links to the property but legislators wanted to ensure there was clarity between criminal and civil disputes.

“If you own the house you went away on vacation, you came back and someone is in your house, you immediately call the police and have the [person] removed for criminal trespassing,” she said. “But also I feel like it’s rare and not really a mainstream thing, so I suppose it’s good to have some language and be very clear.”

A man is seen walking away from the New Hampshire State House on February 16, 2023 in Concord, New Hampshire. Lawmakers in the state are considering a bill that will look at the issue…

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

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New Hampshire

New photo released in unsolved 1997 homicide of a N.H. woman

Published

9 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

New photo released in unsolved 1997 homicide of a N.H. woman

Local News

“Our family wants to know what happened, who did this and why,” said the family of the victim.

A new photo has been released of the victim in a nearly 30-year-long unsolved murder case, in the hope of finding any new potential witnesses in the cold case, New Hampshire officials said.

“Our family wants to know what happened, who did this and why,” the family of Rosalie Miller said in a press release. “We miss her and want to give her peace.”

Miller was last seen on December 8, 1996 at her apartment in Manchester. At the time of her disappearance, Miller had plans on meeting friends in the Auburn, New Hampshire area, officials said.

Her body was found on January 20, 1997 in a partially wooded spot on a residential lot along the Londonderry Turnpike in Auburn, officials said in the release.

The autopsy report declared Miller’s death a homicide by asphyxiation due to ligature strangulation, N.H. officials wrote.

As part of a new effort to garner public help with the case, an “uncirculated” photo of Miller, 36, is being distributed “in hopes it may jog the memory of someone who saw or spoke with her in the winter of 1996,” Attorney General John M. Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall announced on behalf of the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit in a joint press release.

Investigators are especially hoping to talk to anyone who was in contact with Miller in December of 1996 or anyone “who may have seen her in the vicinity of the Londonderry Turnpike in Auburn during that time,” officials said in the release.

The newly released photo of Rosalie Miller, 36, who was strangled to death nearly 30 years ago. – Attorney General John M. Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall

“We are releasing this new photograph today because we believe someone out there has information, perhaps a detail they thought was insignificant at the time, that could be the key to solving this case and bringing justice for Rosalie and those who loved her,” Senior Assistant Attorney General R. Christopher Knowles, New Hampshire Cold Case Unit Chief said in the release.

The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit encourages anyone with any amount of information to contact the group at [email protected] or (603) 271-2663.

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New Hampshire

Former president of NH-based charity sentenced after stealing $350K

Published

21 hours ago

March 1, 2026

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Former president of NH-based charity sentenced after stealing 0K

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New Hampshire

Mass. man struck by car, seriously injured on I-93 in Londonderry, NH

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Mass. man struck by car, seriously injured on I-93 in Londonderry, NH

A Massachusetts man was flown to the hospital after he was struck by a car when he stepped out of his vehicle in the breakdown lane of Interstate 93 in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Saturday morning.

State police say 40-year-old Felix Matos Medina, of Lawrence, had stopped on the right side of I-93 south at Exit 5 just before 11 a.m. to investigate a possible mechanical issue. He was struck shortly after he stepped out of his vehicle by a Chevrolet Malibu and sustained serious injuries.

Medina was taken by medical helicopter to Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Mass., police said. There was no immediate update on his condition.

I-93 southbound was closed near Exit 5 for about 30 minutes to facilitate the medical helicopter’s landing. One lane remained closed for several hours to accommodate crash reconstruction and on-scene investigation.

The driver who struck Medina, identified as David Jodoin, stopped at the scene and is cooperating with investigators, according to police. No charges have been filed at this time, but all aspects of the crash remain under investigation at this time.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Evan Puopolo at 603-451-9784.

State police are also reminding all New Hampshire drivers that Sherrill’s Law requires motorists approaching a stopped vehicle displaying warning signals to slow down and give plenty of space. Drivers are also required to move out of partially or wholly blocked lanes when it’s safe to do so.

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