Crime & Safety
New Hampshire Murder Mystery: 1971 Halloween Killing Unsolved
Loudon, NH – A Halloween murder mystery that has remained unsolved for 55 years is back in the spotlight as New Hampshire State Police ask the public for information about the killing of a young Massa
By Paige Sullivan · 2026-10-31T21:37:32.925Z
Loudon, NH – A Halloween murder mystery that has remained unsolved for 55 years is back in the spotlight as New Hampshire State Police ask the public for information about the killing of a young Massachusetts man discovered dead in a wooded area in 1971.
According to the New Hampshire State Police Cold Case Unit, Daniel O'Connell, 25, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was found dead along Route 106 in Loudon, a Merrimack County community north of Concord, on Sunday, Oct. 31, 1971.
An autopsy determined that O'Connell died from shotgun wounds. Investigators also documented blunt force injuries to his head and face, which contributed to his death.
The circumstances surrounding his killing remain unresolved more than five decades later.
Police Renew Call for Information In a public appeal shared Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, New Hampshire State Police highlighted O'Connell's case as part of their ongoing efforts to generate information about unsolved homicides.
The renewed attention comes on the 55th anniversary of the discovery of his body.
Authorities have not identified a suspect in the information provided with the appeal, and no new arrests or investigative breakthroughs were announced.
Police are asking anyone who may have information about O'Connell's death, regardless of how much time has passed, to contact the Cold Case Unit.
How to Submit a Tip Anyone with information can submit a tip through the New Hampshire Department of Safety's official Cold Case Unit website.
Tips can also be emailed directly to coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov .
Investigators continue seeking answers about what happened to O'Connell on that Halloween weekend in 1971.
For his family, the anniversary marks another year without a publicly announced resolution to the decades old homicide.