NEWPORT — Five people have been arrested in connection with the death of Mark Hudson in Newport, police announced today.
Yesterday, the Newport Police Department and its law enforcement partners continued the investigation into the untimely death of Mark Hudson.
Subsequent to these investigative efforts, arrest warrants were issued for the following five subjects:
Laurel Ayotte, 50, of Newport, Christopher Ayotte, Jr., 27, of Newport, Jacob Ayotte, 19, of Newport, Ryan Palmer, 32, of Sunapee, NH, and Candace Fontaine, 31, of Newport, NH.
All five are charged with one class B felony for conspiracy to commit falsifying physical evidence, and one class A misdemeanor for conspiracy to commit abuse of corpse.
The complaints allege that they conspired to unlawfully remove the body of Hudson and other evidence from the scene of his death.
Laurel Ayotte, Christopher Ayotte, Jr., Jacob Ayotte, and Candace Fontaine were all transported to the Sullivan County House of Corrections without bail pending arraignment in the Sullivan Superior Court.
Ryan Palmer has not been located at this time and is actively wanted by the Newport Police Department.
Police say the cause and manner of Hudson’s death will continue to be determined by the New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office following toxicology testing.
However, based on the evidence gathered by investigators so far, there is no safety threat to the public.
Newport Police were assisted in these arrests by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office.
