Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Father Over 20 Years Ago After Bragging to Police
Douglas Herlihy admitted to killing his father as a teenager and faces up to 24 years in prison.
A New Hampshire man has pleaded guilty to killing his father more than two decades ago, admitting to the crime after a boast to police years later helped crack the cold case.
Douglas Herlihy, 40, admitted to killing his father, Paul Herlihy, 50, when Douglas was 17. The father was found dead in his Milford, New Hampshire home on August 27, 2003, after a relative requested a welfare check. Responding officers discovered Paul Herlihy’s body on the kitchen floor, wrapped in carpet and covered with a blue tarp. The scene indicated blunt-force trauma, with blood spatters found on kitchen cabinets, the refrigerator, walls, and ceiling.
The autopsy revealed injuries to Paul Herlihy’s nose and jaw, skull fractures, and damage to his voice box, consistent with repeated blows to the head. Investigators found blood-stained carpet and padding outside Douglas Herlihy's bedroom window, suggesting the killer attempted to dispose of evidence. DNA testing later indicated the blood could belong to Paul Herlihy.
Inside Douglas Herlihy's bedroom closet, investigators found large handwriting on the door that read: “I WILL SEE YOU IN HELL.” At the time, no suspect was identified.
In the years following his father's death, Douglas Herlihy had multiple encounters with law enforcement for offenses including drug possession and a stolen vehicle. During an arrest in 2020, he reportedly told an officer, "I beat my first body when I was 17!" The officer interpreted this as an implication of past killings.
While Douglas Herlihy had consistently denied involvement to family members, investigators approached him in 2010 regarding his father’s death. He referred them to his attorney at the time. An arrest warrant was issued in June 2025 based on the investigation's findings. Douglas Herlihy was arrested in Saugus, Massachusetts, and extradited to New Hampshire.
He was initially charged with two counts of second-degree murder and falsifying physical evidence. Herlihy negotiated a plea agreement, pleading guilty to manslaughter. Under the agreement, he faces 12 to 24 years in New Hampshire State Prison. A potential sentence of 3.5 to 7 years for attempting to falsify evidence is suspended for 20 years.
New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella stated, "This case is a reminder that the pursuit of justice does not end with the passage of time. The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit and our law enforcement partners remain committed to pursuing answers and accountability, even decades after a crime."
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for early 2027. The Herlihy family has requested privacy and declined to speak with the media. Herlihy's attorney could not be reached for comment.