HOOKSETT, NH – During continued search efforts for a missing person Sunday in the Merrimack River, a body was recovered.
After being temporarily suspended overnight due to darkness, the search resumed around 8 a.m. Sunday, April 12, 2026. At approximately 9:15 a.m., members of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team located and recovered a body from the river.
The victim, later identified as Jeremiah Willey, 25, of Allenstown, is believed to have accidentally fallen into the river while on a railroad bridge near Riverside Street in Hooksett. A witness observed him struggling to stay above the surface before he submerged and did not resurface.
During the search operations, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team deployed boats equipped with side-scan sonar, along with divers, to conduct a systematic search of the area. State Troopers and New Hampshire State Police – Marine Patrol Officers also assisted with search efforts on the water.
New Hampshire State Police – Marine Patrol was assisted on scene by personnel from State Police Troop D, Troop G, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team, Hooksett Police Department, Hooksett Fire Department, and the New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The victim’s death is not considered suspicious at this time and remains under active investigation. Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper First Class Christopher Prenaveau at (603) 223-8620 or Christopher.J.Prenaveau@dos.nh.gov.