A former US Marine was sentenced to 45 years in prison for murdering his ex-partner, Caitlyn Naffziger, 31, whom he shot in the head while she was holding their four-year-old daughter in arms inside her apartment in Berlin, New Hampshire.

The convicted man, Dustin Duren, 32, was sentenced Thursday for the murder that occurred on February 29, 2024, an event that shocked the community due to the extreme violence perpetrated against a minor.

Custody dispute and escalation of violence

During the trial, the stated that the couple was going through a bitter dispute over the custody of their two daughters. Duren tried to force Naffziger to leave the home and hand over the children.

When she refused, the defendant became violent. According to prosecutors, he pushed the older daughter aside with one hand and deliberately shot the mother in the head, killing her instantly.

Duren himself stated during the trial that he feared his ex-partner would report the children's alleged kidnapping, an argument the prosecution dismissed as part of a controlling pattern.

Flight and Amber Alert Activation

After the crime, Duren fled with the two girls, triggering an Amber Alert. Hours later, he was located in a restaurant parking lot in Keene, several hours from the scene of the murder.

The children were found unharmed and taken into protective custody.

Testimonies and Aggravating Factors in the Sentencing

During the sentencing hearing, family members and friends of the victim gave emotional testimonies about the impact of the crime. The prosecution emphasized that the murder was an act motivated by control, anger, and domestic violence, and noted that Duren admitted to being an expert marksman, aware of the consequences of his actions. The defense argued that Duren suffered from mental health issues, including severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.related to his military past,but the court considered that these factors did not diminish the seriousness of the crime.

“A senseless act of violence”

The court concluded that the murder occurred after years of a pattern of abuse and that the victim was in a process of personal reconstruction when she was killed.

With the sentence, Duren will remain in prison for decades for one of the most shocking domestic violence cases recently recorded in the state.