NH AG: Hypothermia cited in suicide deaths of elderly Tuftonboro couple

An elderly couple found dead outside their home along the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee in Tuftonboro died of hypothermia, and authorities ruled both deaths as suicides.

David Warren, 79, and Rae Lynn Warren, 78, were discovered outside their single-family summer residence at 40 Governor Wentworth Highway after a neighbor contacted the Tuftonboro Police Department, according to the New Hampshire attorney general’s office.

The police were notified at 9:24 a.m.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed autopsies on Monday, concluding that both died from environmental hypothermia and that the manner of both deaths was suicide.

The findings spurred questions among the public about how exposure to the elements at this time of year could be fatal and how both deaths could definitely be ruled suicides. 

Statistically, hypothermia is an exceptionally rare method in suicide cases, with firearms remaining the most prevalent.

On the morning of May 2, temperatures hovered around 49 degrees with rain, while the previous night had seen a sharp drop to 31 degrees, conditions that would have been dangerously cold for anyone left unprotected outdoors.

James Kneeland of the New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Law Enforcement Division, who has experience conducting search and rescue operations involving hikers, said that temperatures around 40 degrees can be cold enough for hypothermia to set in.

“I’ve seen it a lot,” Kneeland said. “That’s an easy temperature to kind of miscalculate for proper clothing, especially once you get wet, whether it’s through perspiration or rain.”

Most of the cases he has dealt with involve accidental hypothermia, where the unprepared become dangerously cold.

Beyond poor decision-making, such as discarding clothing or panicking, Kneeland said he has seen hypothermia cause outdoor enthusiasts to become lethargic, hunker down, and ultimately drift off to sleep before they are no longer able to help themselves.

The Warrens were active members of the Wolfeboro Historical Society. David Warren created many handcrafted models, such as the Concord Coach, which were donated over the years and displayed at the museum operated by the society.

“Often older adults are forgotten, and we have to remember that, indeed, older adults can struggle with their mental health and are at risk of suicide, and we forget that,” said Susan Stearns, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “I think it’s important that we be mindful of that, learn the warning signs, make those connections and always seek help.”