Berlin, NH – A 38-year-old man has received a lengthy prison sentence for the murder of his ex-girlfriend while their daughter was nearby. Dustin Mark Duren was sentenced last week to between 45 years and life in prison.
A jury convicted him of second-degree murder, reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child. Prosecutors stated that Duren and Caitlyn Naffziger were in a custody dispute over their two children at the time of the murder.
On February 29, Duren attempted to force Naffziger out of his apartment while she held their four-year-old daughter. As she sat on the couch in a pink unicorn blanket, Duren shot Naffziger in the head.
Witnesses reported seeing Duren with the children in an Applebee’s parking lot after the incident. The children were unharmed.
During the trial, Duren claimed he felt threatened by Naffziger, which the jury rejected after approximately five hours of deliberation.
Naffziger’s family members spoke at Duren’s sentencing, expressing the emotional toll the murder has had on them. They described the brutality of her death and the years of control Duren exerted over Naffziger.
Testimony revealed that the daughter recalled the event, stating that her “mommy had lots of blood.”
Tim Smith, Naffziger’s stepfather, described the murder as the culmination of domestic violence, asserting that Duren resorted to murder to maintain control.