HUDSON, N.H. — A bouquet of flowers with a note attached, stating “RIP Christine,” decorated the steps in front of 35 Shoal Creek Road on Friday afternoon.
A resident of the quiet street, located in Hudson’s bucolic Rolling Green community, said the flowers appeared on the steps of 57-year-old Christine DeGiacomo’s home after authorities finished their on-scene investigation into her alleged murder.
Authorities announced on Thursday that Christine DeGiacomo was allegedly beaten by her son, Grant DeGiacomo, 26, inside the home on Wednesday night. She later died from her injuries.
Grant DeGiacomo has been charged with her murder.
“This is a quiet, safe neighborhood,” Christine DeGiacomo’s next-door neighbor said from his doorway on Friday. “Nothing happens here. People are just living their life, doing their thing, and then all the sudden this.”
The neighbor, who did not want to give his name, shares a common wall with the DeGiacomo home. He said he could hear arguing coming from the apartment on Wednesday night, but it seemed like nothing out of the ordinary.
“And all the sudden it went from that, to us hearing banging, and then the screaming,” the neighbor said, adding it sounded like a woman “screaming for her life.”
“It escalated just like that, and I was probably on the phone with 911 within 30 seconds,” he said.
Police arrived on scene within minutes. The neighbor said he watched through his Ring camera as Grant DeGiacomo was taken from the home in handcuffs, while Christine DeGiacomo was removed on a gurney.
Authorities said in a press release that they found Christine DeGiacomo suffering from traumatic injuries upon their arrival shortly before 9:45 p.m.
According to documents available in Hillsboro Superior Court Southern District, the 57-year-old woman was transported to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, in Nashua, where she was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival.
Following an investigation, court documents state authorities obtained a warrant for Grant DeGiacomo’s arrest.
“Mr. Grant DeGiacomo is charged with recklessly causing the death of Christine DeGiacomo under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life by repeatedly striking her head,” said New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella in Thursday’s arrest announcement.
Grant DeGiacomo waived his formal arraignment hearing that was scheduled in Hillsboro Superior Court Southern District on Friday. Senior Assistant Attorney General Scott Chase said the 26-year-old pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and is being held without bail.
Family members appeared in the courthouse on Friday. One woman, who identified herself as Christine DeGiacomo’s sister-in-law, volunteered to talk about her beloved family member with members of the press.
“She was a wonderful person,” she said, growing emotional as she spoke about Christine DeGiacomo. “She was always happy, she was always there, she had the best friends, she loved Bermuda, she loved her dog, she loved her cat, she was a great girl, and I’ll miss her.”
Court records show this is not Grant DeGiacomo’s first experience with law enforcement.
In January 2020, he was arrested for reckless conduct after police said he fired a gun inside the home on Shoal Creek Road while intoxicated.
According to police reports about the incident, the bullet passed through a bedroom door, through an interior hallway wall, and then into a common wall shared with the next-door unit. Police said in the report that the bullet became stuck in the wall, and did not penetrate the neighboring unit.
No one was injured during the incident.
According to police reports, Grant DeGiacomo told officers he accidentally discharged the firearm while “playing” with the weapon. A family member told police at the time that Grant DeGiacomo is an alcoholic who struggles with mental health issues.
Court documents state Grant DeGiacomo pleaded guilty to reckless conduct for the offense, and was sentenced to 12 months in jail.
Follow Aaron Curtis on Twitter @aselahcurtis
