New Hampshire committee seeks to prevent domestic fatalities like murder-suicide in Berlin

Marisol Fuentes, 25, was killed on July 6 in Berlin

Marisol Fuentes, 25, was killed on July 6 in Berlin

By SRUTHI GOPALAKRISHNAN

Monitor staff

Published: 07-18-2025 4:30 PM

Modified: 07-19-2025 12:00 PM


Marisol Fuentes needed help.

She went to the police after her husband forcibly held her down on the bed as she was getting ready for work, right after stepping out of the shower. 

As she tried to get away, Michael Gleason Jr. gripped her so tightly that he left bruises on her upper arms. He sexually assaulted her, shoved her to the ground and called her names.

She had saved $8,000 to start her own business. Gleason knew about the money and grabbed it, saying he was going to keep it as compensation for the trouble she had caused him.

He eventually let her leave for work in Berlin, but without her phone or her wallet, according to an arrest warrant issued in April.

Gleason, 50, was arrested the next day, on April 26, and the magistrate set his bail at $5,000. By April 28, Fuentes was granted a protection-from-abuse order that required Gleason to relinquish any firearms and stay away from her. Then she filed for divorce.

In May, Gleason faced a judge for a probable cause hearing on charges of sexual assault, kidnapping and robbery. His bail remained at $5,000.

On the weekend of July 4, Gleason went to her work at La Casita Mexican Restaurant in Berlin and shot 25-year-old Fuentes multiple times with a shotgun while she was behind the bar. He later turned the gun on himself inside a bathroom, ending his deadly plan.

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To review domestic violence-related deaths and identify systemic gaps in prevention and response to prevent future tragedies, Gov. Kelly Ayotte has signed legislation to strengthen the state’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee. The state court system is reviewing the case and will cooperate with the committee as it conducts its examination.

Pamela Keilig, public policy specialist with the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said domestic violence fatality reviews are just one of many tools that should be used in the aftermath of devastating incidents, like the murder-suicide in Berlin.

“Domestic violence and fatalities like this just really shake a community, and during a time like this, everyone is looking for answers and wants to understand why something happened,” Keilig said. “So this is a very useful avenue for that conversation to happen and ensure that it's done in a very thorough, strategic and thoughtful manner.”

The structure of the new law will ensure that the necessary stakeholders — including law enforcement, the attorney general’s office, advocacy groups, mental health professionals and others — are involved, and that proper safeguards are established to allow for the confidential review of these lethal cases.

Gleason’s bail had been set by Magistrate Judge Stephanie Johnson, which has led some Republican lawmakers to call for her resignation. 

“I think domestic violence is 100% preventable,” said Keilig. “What we saw in Berlin is preventable, but I think there's, there's more than one thing that needs to be improved on in order to ensure that future incidents like this won't happen again.”

On Monday, New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald ordered the review of the court records related to Gleason.

Justice Melissa Countway, associate justice, and Ellen V. Christo, Circuit Court administrative judge, were appointed to review the cases and the court’s actions.

Under a separate law signed earlier this year that rolled back parts of the bail reform bill, magistrate positions will be eliminated starting in September.

While the bail reform law will bring changes to the system, Keiling acknowledged no single solution exists for all cases. She said that it is more important than ever for people to invest time in thorough training and to understand the complex dynamics involved. 

This ensures that when a victim appears before a judge, police officer, medical provider or any other professional, all the necessary steps are properly followed and that the victim is referred to appropriate services and a safety plan is put in place.

“Unfortunately, when you don't put all of those pieces together, that's where incidents can occur. So it really needs to be a very holistic response,” said Keilig.

The state first established the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee by executive order in 1999, bringing together experts from across New Hampshire every two years to review homicides connected to domestic violence.

Between 2020 and 2021, 13 people were killed in domestic violence incidents between 2020 and 2021, accounting for 59% of all homicides in the state during that period, according to the most recent report.

Of those, six victims were killed by family members and five by intimate partners.

“All of these cases, the instances of abuse, the experience of abuse, might look different depending on the situation and the victim,” Keilig said. “I think it's hard for regular members of the public to understand that when a victim comes forward and says that they're in fear and that they are experiencing domestic violence, it may not seem like an act of domestic violence on its face.”

Fuentes was born in Mexico, and her obituary described her as having a “warmth that brought the sun of Mexico to the cold winters of New England.” She had a deep love for animals, a generous spirit and kindness toward others.

Her obituary calls for honoring her memory by advocating for and supporting those affected by domestic violence.

“Let this tragic loss be a reminder of the silent pain endured by those living in abusive situations. Let us pray, but more importantly, work to raise awareness, improve prevention efforts, and call on our authorities to strengthen protections so that a loss like this is never suffered again.”

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com