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Executive Councilors Call for Urgent Public Safety Coordination Following Fuentes Tragedy

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CONCORD, N.H. — In the wake of the murder of Marisol Fuentes, two members of the New Hampshire Executive Council are calling for an urgent inter-agency meeting to review and upgrade the state’s public safety information systems.



Fuentes, a Berlin resident, was killed by Michael Gleason Jr., who had been subject to a protective order for stalking just five days before the murder. Gleason then took his own life, sparking renewed scrutiny of the state’s bail and protective order processes.


“This tragic incident raises fundamental questions about how we can better protect vulnerable individuals and prevent dangerous offenders from causing harm,” the councilors wrote.


Kenney and Stephen are asking for a meeting in the Executive Council Chambers within the next 7 to 10 days to examine how data about bail conditions, protective orders, and criminal histories is—or isn’t—being shared among law enforcement, courts, and state agencies. The letter highlights the need for real-time information-sharing between judicial and law enforcement systems and proposes evaluating gaps in the current infrastructure.


The proposal comes amid broader public frustration over failures in New Hampshire’s bail system, especially in high-profile cases where offenders released on bail commit additional crimes. The killing of Fuentes is the latest and most tragic example.


Michael Gleason Jr.’s criminal history and the protective order issued shortly before the incident demonstrate how quickly a situation can escalate when systems fail to communicate. Councilors noted that all relevant public safety personnel—including police, parole officers, court staff, and prosecutors—need immediate access to court orders and violations.


The councilors outlined five key discussion points for the proposed meeting:


  • Interoperability of databases across state and local agencies

  • Real-time alerts for protective orders and bail violations

  • Successful best practices from other jurisdictions

  • Investment in modern technology and training

  • Policy options that enhance safety while preserving due process


Councilor John Stephen, a former commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services, has long advocated for more streamlined public safety systems. Councilor Kenney, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and longtime councilor, has frequently raised concerns about rural safety gaps in his North Country district.


Ayotte, a former attorney general herself, signed into law a comprehensive bail reform package earlier this year that takes full effect in September 2025. That law was crafted in response to repeat cases of violent re-offense by individuals out on bail.


While the internal reviews of the Fuentes case are ongoing, Kenney and Stephen believe immediate steps can be taken to assess and improve how the state manages information around high-risk individuals. “We must act swiftly and decisively to address [system] gaps,” they wrote.


The tragedy has sparked renewed interest in how New Hampshire’s criminal justice and public safety systems coordinate—or fail to—when lives are at risk. Whether this meeting results in concrete action may prove critical to restoring public confidence and preventing future loss.



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