New Hampshire Man Confesses to Beating His Father to Death With Baseball Bat as a Teen — Nearly 25 Years After Committing Gruesome Crime
Douglas Herlihy could spend up to 24 years behind bars.
Oct. 29 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
A New Hampshire man has confessed to murdering his father as a teenager, RadarOnline.com can report.
Douglas Herlihy, 40, pleaded guilty to beating his father to death when he was 17. He was originally arrested in June 2025 and charged with second-degree murder after being caught lying in a recorded phone call with his brother.
Cold Case Confession
Douglas Herlihy accepted a plea deal for killing his father.
But this month, Douglas accepted a plea deal for manslaughter, which included confessing to the crime.
"[Douglas Herlihy] said that he then grabbed a baseball bat the family kept behind the front door and struck his father with it, causing his death," Christopher Knowles, chief of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit, told the court.
Due to the plea deal, Douglas will serve 12 to 24 years in prison rather than a potential life sentence. He’ll also serve an additional three to seven years for falsification of evidence.
He will be sentenced in early 2027.
Chilling Discovery Inside the Herlihy Home
The victim was found during a welfare check.
On August 27, 2003, a family member requested a welfare check on 50-year-old Paul Herlihy.
When cops arrived at his home, they discovered the man's body, deceased, wrapped in carpet. Blood stains were found on the fridge, walls, and furniture.
Per an affidavit, a carpet was found in the backyard near Paul's son Douglas' window. Detectives also noticed a towel on Douglas' bedroom closet, and when the towel was removed, the door read, "I WILL SEE YOU IN H-LL."
History of Escalating Disputes
Detectives uncovered a tumultuous past between the two during their investigation.
Despite being arrested decades later, Douglas had been a prime suspect in Paul's murder since it occurred.
Before Paul's death, the two had several physical fights. The 50-year-old had called authorities on his son eight times in the months before his death.
"Between 2001 and 2003, local law enforcement responded numerous times to the Herlihys’ residences in Massachusetts and New Hampshire to resolve family disputes," the affidavit reads.
Investigators also spoke to family and friends of the Herlihys. Detectives uncovered that Paul sent Douglas to a school for students with behavioral issues, which he tried to skip.
Additionally, they learned Douglas told friends his father frequently hit him, and the next time he did, "would be the last."
Final Days Before the Murder
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Paul Herlihy took his son to the police station days before he killed him.
On August 12, 2003, Paul found Douglas in his car with illegal substances – the car had previously been reported stolen.
Six days later, the father took his son to the police station to turn himself in. Douglas did and pleaded guilty, receiving a suspended sentence of 90 days alongside a $500 fine.
But on August 23, Paul called his nephew and said, "Doug was gone again" – Paul's last known contact.
Four days later, he was found dead.
