UPDATED: After autopsy, shooting death of Hinsdale man, 26, ruled a homicide
Union Leader Correspondent
October 30. 2013 5:31PM
HINSDALE— The shooting death of a 26-year-old Marine from Hinsdale on Oct. 13 during what authorities said was a “family dispute” has been ruled a homicide.
The Attorney General’s Office announced Wednesday that an autopsy conducted two weeks ago on the body of Dustin Curtiss determined the cause of his death was gunshot wounds to the torso and upper extremities, the manner of his death was homicide.
No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting and the state police investigation is ongoing, Geoffrey Ward, assistant attorney general said Wednesday.
In the Wednesday press release, authorities said Curtiss was killed “during the course of an apparent family dispute that turned violent.”
In legal terms, homicide means someone’s death was caused by another person.
These preliminary autopsy results pertain to cause and manner of death, but do not reveal any drug or alcohol levels, Ward said.
“We don’t have a final autopsy report, which would generally, any autopsy, would include toxicology,” Ward said. “We look forward to reviewing the completed final autopsy report.”
He would not say if there were any suspects, what type of gun had been used or if the weapon was recovered from the scene.
Ward would not say how many family members were a part of the dispute.
He would not say how much longer the investigation would take, but that investigators are working quickly and diligently to complete it.
After the shooting, Curtiss was taken to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in Vermont, and then transferred to UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., where he was pronounced death.
The autopsy was conducted by the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Oct. 15.
More than 200 people attended funeral services for Curtiss, who was married and had a young daughter. He had recently left the Marines after serving for eight years, according to a family friend, who said Curtiss was a dedicated Marine who loved his family and many friends.
