Concord, NH – New Hampshire Deputy Attorney General Jane E. Young announces further information regarding the death of a woman presumed to be Lynn Marie Viana (age 53) in Derry, New Hampshire.
Earlier today, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie V. Duval conducted an autopsy on the woman presumed to be Ms. Viana, and determined that the cause of her death was a single gunshot wound to her head. Dr. Duval concluded that the manner of her death is homicide. Final identification of Ms. Viana is pending.
Investigators have determined that Ms. Viana and her husband, Manoel Viana (age 57), had been estranged. During a custody exchange of their adult child at Mr. Viana’s 27 Mt. Pleasant Street residence on April 4, 2021, Mr. Viana invited Ms. Viana inside the residence. Shortly after Ms. Viana entered Mr. Viana’s residence, two noises, consistent with gunshots, were heard from within the residence. Shortly thereafter, the residence was engulfed in fire. The presence of ignitable liquids was detected within the residence and on or around Ms. Viana’s body.
Mr. Viana is still receiving medical treatment for life-threatening injuries at a Boston hospital. In addition to apparent burns, Mr. Viana had apparent trauma to his head.
While the investigation into the facts and circumstances leading up to and during this incident is ongoing, the Office of the Attorney General announces its intent, should Mr. Viana recover from his injuries, to seek a charge of first degree murder, pursuant to RSA 630:1-a, with the allegation that he purposely caused the death of Lynn Marie Viana by shooting Ms. Viana in the head.
The charges and allegations contained herein are merely accusations, and Manoel Viana is presumed innocent until proven guilty.