New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Frederick H. Booth announce that the final results of the pending autopsy on Jacob Smith have been received in connection with the March 2, 2007 homicide in Boscawen.

On March 2, 2007, at approximately 5:00 p.m., Jacob R. Smith, age 35, of 117 Manchester Street, A-17, Concord, New Hampshire, went to the residence at 11 April Avenue in Boscawen, New Hampshire. Present in the home at the time were the homeowners, Wendy A. Bamford, age 40, Mark Bamford, age 45, their three children, ages 9, 6, and 6, and Tara Bamford, age 20. Brenda A. Barnum, then age 34, and her 11-year-old son, Matthew J. Smith, were also at the Bamford residence at the time. Jacob Smith was the father of Matthew Smith.

Shortly after Jacob Smith arrived at the Bamford house, a struggle ensued on the porch, and Smith fatally shot Brenda Barnum and then went into the home. Tara Bamford and Wendy Bamford confronted him inside the house and told him to leave. Instead of leaving, Smith moved through the house looking for his son Matthew. Along the way, Mark Bamford intercepted Smith and told him to leave the house. Smith responded by shooting at Bamford twice and hitting him once. Bamford survived. After that occurred, everyone managed to leave the home except for Matthew, who was hiding in the bathroom.

Matthew told the police that his father forced his way into the bathroom where he was hiding and then shot him in the abdomen. Matthew responded by stabbing his father with a small knife. Smith left the bathroom, retrieved a large knife and stabbed Matthew with the knife. Smith and Matthew left the bathroom and went into the den, where Smith repeatedly told Matthew that he was sorry and that at least they would die together. Jacob Smith then used the larger knife to stab himself.

At approximately 9:25 p.m., Matthew walked out of the home and was removed from the scene. A short time later, the SWAT Team made a tactical entry into the home and found Jacob Smith deceased on the couch in the den. An empty Glock 9mm handgun and large knife were found near his body.

Dr. Thomas A. Andrew, the State’s Chief Medical Examiner, conducted an autopsy on Jacob Smith’s body and has determined that the cause of his death was a stab wound of the chest and a stab wound of the abdomen. The manner of death was suicide.

The results of the investigation indicate that Jacob Smith was experiencing significant mental and physical difficulties in the weeks prior to the incident. It appears likely that those difficulties were the major causes of his actions on March 2, 2007.

Matthew Smith was originally in critical condition after being shot and stabbed by his father. He has since recovered from his wounds. Mark Bamford has also recovered from the gunshot wounds he received during the incident. He has asked that the public be made aware that he and his family appreciate the support they are getting from their family, friends and the community.