Who is Richard Hanson? Man accused of fatally beating wife Nancy Hanson in front of their children pleads not guilty
NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS: A man accused of killing his wife has pled not guilty to the murder. Richard Hanson reportedly fatally struck his 54-year-old wife, Nancy Hason, using a baseball bat while their children watched on Saturday, July 15, just two days after she requested a restraining order against him.
The 64-year-old was arrested at their family home on Brookline Street in Newton after one of their sons called police for help, as reported by Daily Mail. One of Nancy and Richard's children apparently yelled, "Stop dad, you're killing her," while the accused allegedly continued to assault his wife with whom he tied the knot in 2001. Notably, Nancy was found by the authorities in an unconscious state with blunt force trauma in one of her children's bedrooms and died at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Who is Richard Hanson?
Nothing much is known about Richard except that he is allegedly the murderer of his wife, Nancy, with whom he has three sons, aged 17, 15, and 11. The accused is now facing the charges of first-degree murder, assault, and battery on a family member, armed assault with intent to murder, and assault and battery causing serious bodily injury charges. During his arraignment, Richard pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Meanwhile, Nancy’s autopsy disclosed that she sustained multiple fractured ribs, blunt force wounds to her skull, a bruised torso, and fractured forearms.
Nancy's cause of death was blunt force trauma
A statement released by the Newton MA Police Department read, "Yesterday, at approximately 8:21 p.m. a juvenile inside the home called 911 to report the ongoing assault. Upon arrival, police located Mrs. Hanson suffering from apparent blunt force injuries. She was transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where she died. The preliminary investigation suggests that during the physical altercation, Richard Hanson allegedly struck his wife with one or more objects multiple times. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled the death a homicide and the cause of death was blunt force trauma. We do anticipate additional charges." "This is an open and ongoing investigation being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office and Newton Police," it stated.
People have shared their thoughts after the news of the tragedy broke with a Facebook user saying, "God Bless the Hanson family. My heart aches for Mrs. Hanson for what she endured and for the young person who witnessed this heinous attack." Another user wrote, "Nancy Hanson was a lovely, positive person. 💔 for her three boys. Horrible horrible." "Prayers sent for her children & family," added one more commenter.