New Hampshire woman and her 18-month-old daughter fatally shot; father found dead near bank of Merrimack River

A man fatally shot a woman, their 18-month-old daughter, and wounded another child before he was found dead hours later of a suicide on the bank of the Merrimack River, New Hampshire officials said.

The man, Jamie Bell, 42, was seen fleeing a home in Franklin on Saturday afternoon, New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Adam Woods said during an evening news conference. Neighbors said they had heard gunshots.

Police arrived at the home to find Nicole Hughes, 35, and Ariella Bell, her daughter with Jamie Bell, shot to death, Woods said.

Woods said Hughes and Jamie Bell were “intimate partners.” He provided no further details on their relationship.

Hughes’ 5-year-old daughter from another relationship had a gunshot wound to her arm and a cut on her back, Woods said. She was taken to a hospital in Massachusetts. Her injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.

Police spent several hours searching for Bell, first identified as a person of interest, on foot and by helicopter.

During the search, police warned residents to stay inside because Bell was believed to be armed and dangerous, CBS Boston reported.

“Just made sure we locked up right away and kept the kids away from the windows and everyone,” neighbor Kimberly Michaels told the station. “My heart goes out to the family.”

Autopsies on Sunday confirmed Hughes and her daughter were killed and Jamie Bell died from a single, self-inflicted wound to the neck and that his manner of death was suicide, CBS Boston reported.