NH man accused of strangling his wife and father indicted on murder charges

DOVER, N.H. — A man from Dover, New Hampshire has been indicted on murder charges after he strangled his father and wife earlier this year. 

Jeramie Colella was arrested in August, the day the bodies of Joanna and Francis Colella were found in his home. He was initially charged with two counts of second-degree murder, but indictments released Wednesday reflected upgraded charges.

Colella is now charged with first-degree murder of his father Francis, and second-degree murder of his wife, Joanna. He also faces alternative counts of second-degree murder in both cases.

Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald announced in a release that  Jeramie Colella purposely caused his father's death by strangling him and knowingly caused his wife's death by strangling her as well.

Colella, who is being held without bail, is set to be arraigned Jan. 28.

Cox Media Group