By Angeljean Chiaramida
SEABROOK — The family of a man found dead in an apartment complex hallway of an apparent overdose wants answers about his death and is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who can help.
The body of 24-year-old John Allen Eaton Jr., known as JJ, was found in the stairwell of one of the buildings at Cimarron Apartment complex on Batchelder Road on the afternoon of May 6, according to police. A lifelong Lee, N.H., resident, Eaton's cause of death was later determined to be a drug overdose.
Danielle Reader, 26, of 24 Batchelder Road, No. 118C, was charged with and convicted of moving Eaton's body from her apartment to the stairwell, said Seabrook Detective Brett Walker. No other charges were brought against Reader or anyone else in relation to involvement with his death, Walker said.
According to the police documents, detectives arrived at the scene and found Eaton's body in the stairwell, but they noted that lividity had already set into portions of his body in a way that indicated it had been moved. After interviews with a number of people, police learned of Eaton's involvement with Reader.
Though Reader originally denied any knowledge of what happened, police were able to develop enough evidence to arrest her on charges of abuse of a corpse for dragging Eaton's body from her apartment to the stairwell, about 5 feet from the door of her apartment.
A confidential informant told police he and Reader arrived at her apartment together, where they found Eaton dead in the bathroom. According to the police affidavit, the informant said Reader didn't want to call for help for fear she would lose her apartment. They decided instead to move Eaton's body into the hallway at the top of the stairs. After leaving Eaton behind the door of the stairwell, both Reader and the informant left the building.
Walker said although Eaton's parents, both of Lee, had known their son had a problem with drug abuse, they also believe there is more to be known concerning their son's death than is already part of the record, including finding those responsible for providing him with the heroin that killed him.
In New Hampshire, some recent overdose deaths have landed drug dealers with significant prison sentences, Walker said. The overdose deaths of Ryan Scamman, in Stratham, N.H., and Caitlyn Brady, in Kingston, N.H., made headlines a few years back when those who supplied the drugs that killed them were arrested and subsequently convicted of causing their deaths by being a link in the supply chain.
"That being said, since Mr. Eaton died of a heroin overdose, there has to be a chain of supply for the drug and people that were involved with him during either the purchase and/or consumption," Walker said. "Mr. Eaton's family is trying to generate calls and tips to continue the investigation down that road. At this point, the investigation is closed pending new evidence."
Walker said the Eaton family is responsible for the posters placed around town announcing their hunt for new evidence and the reward money. Those with information are urged to contact the Seabrook Police Department at 603-474-5200.
John Allen Eaton Jr., was a a 2003 graduate of Oyster River High School in Durham, N.H., and was employed at Lawn Exchange in Lee, a business owned by his father.
