MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Police are investigating whether an escalating neighborhood feud led to the death of a woman who was murdered in her apartment while four of her children were home.
Edith Riley, 35, was killed and her boyfriend critically injured early Saturday morning. Todd Peters, 35, of Weare was charged with second-degree murder. Friends said Riley had known Peters for years and that he once dated her sister.
Authorities released few details about the murder, but said they were looking into reports of violence in the days leading up to the attack. Police were called to the home twice last week, once for a fight involving guns and baseball bats, Riley's car windows were smashed twice and she told a neighbor she feared for her safety.
"The cops have been here about nine times in three days," said Jennifer Tardiff, who lives upstairs in the same building. "I told them (Friday), 'What is sad is it's going to take someone to die for you do anything.' That's what it did."
Tardiff said Riley's 12-year-old daughter found the victims in the living room and saw Peters holding a baseball bat. Riley's son, Matthew, who lives in Bedford, said his sister called police after Peters left the building.
Neither Tardiff nor Matthew Riley had details of the neighborhood dispute. Tardiff said Riley had a restraining order against someone who lives about a block away, but it wasn't Peters. Neighbors said Peters has at least one relative who lives on that street.
Riley, who had six children, had been on disability since injuring herself while working at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, her son said. He believes the children will stay with his grandparents in Bedford.
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