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Murder victim's friend steals money meant to help pay for funeral, police say

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- A Manchester man is accused of stealing thousands of dollars donated to cover the funeral expenses of a friend who was murdered.

Jeffrey Grenier, 25, was arrested Wednesday for felony theft after police in Concord, N.H., say he bought a new car with funds raised through a GoFundMe campaign that he started in June to help Sabrina Galusha’s family pay for her funeral.

Galusha, 23, was stabbed in the chest in the parking lot behind an apartment complex in May. Daswan Jette, 20, was arrested for the crime.

>>PREVIOUSYoung woman stabbed, killed in Concord, NH

Sabrina Galusha’s father, Mark Galusha, said Grenier had promised to transfer the funds to the family’s account but instead stole the $6,000 the family intended to use not only for his daughter’s funeral but also for a memorial fund.

“People were donating to it regularly and everything. And we had conversations with Mr. Grenier a couple of times, and he kept assuring us that the money would be coming to us,” Mark Galusha said. “Toward the end of the month, we hadn’t seen anything and we tried to get in touch with him, and no response. And we went to check the GoFundMe page, and it said this campaign is done.”

The Galushas went to Concord police, who began investigating the crime at the end of June. The family told Boston 25 News the theft felt like another blow when they were already at their lowest.

“When this all went down, my wife and I looked at each other and we said, ‘What in the hell did we ever do to deserve this?’” Mark Galusha said. “I was angry, and I said to myself a couple of times, ‘I’d like to kick that S.O.B.’”

But as Mark Galusha was grieving, he also witnessed the best of humanity. His boss covered his daughter’s funeral expenses.

Galusha said he has been told GoFundMe will reimburse the stolen funds. He will use that money to repay his boss.

Grenier was released from jail on $20,000 personal recognizance ahead of a December appearance in Merrimack County Superior Court.

Boston 25 News tried to contact Grenier at his Manchester apartment. A man believed to be Grenier shouted from a window, demanding the crew leave.

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