Updated at 9:23 p.m.
More than a month after Stephen and Djeswende “Wendy” Reid were murdered in Concord, New Hampshire, under mysterious circumstances, authorities are still searching for answers.
The couple, who spent years working in Burlington, were found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in the Broken Ground Trails area on April 21. They were in their 60s.
Louis Siegel, who met the Reids while working at the Burlington-based Tetra Tech, a rural development consulting firm, recalled Stephen’s quiet diligence, which earned him the respect of his colleagues.
Both Siegel and Reid had served in the Peace Corps in Niger but didn’t meet until they began working together in Burlington in 2000. Together, they worked on projects in West Africa, Bangladesh and Haiti.Â
“The thing that stands out about Steve is that he was a very mild-mannered, very diligent, very warm person, really, wherever he went,” Siegel said. “(He) led with this warm and patient manner.”
The Reids and Siegel were both living in Haiti when the 2010 earthquake struck. The Reids welcomed Siegel and his wife to live with them after the Siegels’ home was damaged, he recalled.
“Wendy was a good source of advice for me,” Siegel said. “She always had some wise counsel to provide.”
Former Burlington mayor Peter Clavelle also worked with Stephen at Tetra Tech. “It’s just unfathomable that this could happen,” he said. “Stephen could not be more giving … they did so much for this planet.”
Last week, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office released a composite sketch of a suspect. Police are seeking “a white male in his late 20s or early 30s, approximately 5’10” tall, medium build, with short brown hair, and clean-shaven,” according to a press release.
The person of interest is believed to have been wearing a blue sweatshirt, khaki pants, and carrying a black backpack, the release said. Police say the man was seen walking near the Broken Ground Trails on the day of the murder.
The Concord Regional Crimeline, a nonprofit, is offering a $33,500 reward for information that leads to an arrest and indictment.
According to Michael Garrity, a New Hampshire Department of Justice spokesperson, authorities have received 225 tip calls about the case.
“Our active investigation into this case remains ongoing with help from our local, state and federal law enforcement partners,” he said.