A 47-year-old Claremont man is facing felony charges after police say fentanyl he provided was tied to the death of his 69-year-old mother-in-law, Jane LaFountain. The most serious charge, drug sale with death resulting, carries a possible life sentence.
Christopher Daignault entered no pleas at arraignment, while police continue reviewing statements, toxicology findings, and a recorded conversation tied to the case. Claremont Police Chief Brent Wilmot called it an active investigation and said additional arrests are anticipated.
Claremont Police first responded on March 2 to an Elm Street home after Joseph LaFountain reported that his wife, Jane LaFountain, had died. At that point, investigators said the cause was still unclear, so the case remained open.
The case changed on April 22 when the New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death was caused by fentanyl toxicity and listed the manner as accidental. That finding pushed police to examine who had access to her.
According to an affidavit signed by Police Chief Brent Wilmot, Joseph LaFountain later told investigators Daignault had entered the bedroom and handed Jane a white substance. When questioned, Daignault allegedly said, “It’s for her anxiety, don’t worry about it.”
After toxicology results came back, police recorded a conversation between Joseph LaFountain and Daignault with authorization from the Sullivan County Attorney’s Office. Joseph told him Jane had died from a fentanyl overdose and asked what he had given her.
Daignault denied giving her the fatal dose, but allegedly admitted he had given her fentanyl weeks earlier during another medical episode. When Joseph asked what to tell authorities, Daignault replied, “You’re going to say you had no idea.”
Police later said Daignault and Jennifer Daignault appeared to have rehearsed their stories before separate interviews on April 29. According to the affidavit, the planned explanation was that someone else may have delivered fentanyl without Jane knowing.
Daignault entered no pleas at his arraignment on felony charges of drug sale with death resulting, witness tampering, and controlled drug acts prohibited. Police arrested him after an April 30 traffic stop, one day after separate interviews in the investigation.
After he was taken into custody, Daignault allegedly told police he had fentanyl inside his lunch bag on the passenger seat of his car. That detail matters because investigators had already been examining his access to fentanyl around Jane’s death.
The most serious charge, drug sale with death resulting, carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Witness tampering and controlled drug acts prohibited each carry possible penalties of 3.5 to 7 years, with a probable cause hearing scheduled Monday.
This case adds to a difficult debate about fentanyl inside family homes, where addiction, access, and responsibility can blur fast. Police say Jane LaFountain was homebound, making the question of who provided the drug central to the investigation.
What comes next will likely turn on toxicology findings, recorded statements, and witness accounts from inside the home. Chief Brent Wilmot said the case remains active, with additional arrests anticipated as investigators continue working through the evidence.