News
Susanne and Half Zantop were victims of a stabbing, State Attorney General Philip McLaughlin confirmed today in a news conference held at the Hanover police station.
However, he refused to comment on whether the weapon or weapons used in the attack were knives or other sharp objects.
McLaughlin also revealed that Zantops most likely knew the person or people who committed the homicide -- since the police believe the couple regularly kept their doors locked while they were home.
"It is probable that the person or persons who entered their home were let in" by the Zantops, McLaughlin said.
Although he conceded that investigators could not rule out a random killing -- explaining that the trusting couple "might have let a stranger in" -- he said the police believe that they are "probably dealing with more of a targeted event than a random" crime.
"The logic points us in the direction of saying that the some person either went there with the purpose of harming the Zantops, or went there for other purposes and, while there, something occurred to cause that person to harm the Zantops," he said.
When asked if the anonymous Dartmouth junior who was interviewed by The Dartmouth early this morning was considered a suspect, McLaughlin said, "I would not use that word."
He said his definition of a "suspect" is a person who arouses "persistent, logical belief" of guilt.
McLaughlin declined to elaborate on the specifics of the Dartmouth junior, who told The Dartmouth that police consider him a "prime suspect." But McLaughlin noted, "It's basically discomforting [for anyone] to be dealing with a homicide investigator," explaining that investigators tend to get "to the heart of things."
McLaughlin said he did not know how many students the investigation team had questioned, but he said, "We continue to interview a large pool of people," including students, friends, colleagues and neighbors of the Zantops.
In response to whether or not the stabbing was "ritualistic" in any way -- referring to the Dartmouth junior's assertion that he was asked if he practiced "Santer'a" -- McLaughlin said there were no "overt" signs of a ritual at the crime scene of which he knew.
For the first time, McLaughlin acknowledged that, in a sense, the investigation has moved beyond the boundaries of New Hampshire because some of the students being interviewed are from out of state and "some local people have left the area," which brings "a rouse of curiosity for us."
McLaughlin said the investigation team was coming closer to determining the time of death, but he would not reveal specifics.
