Woman found dead on highway, New Hampshire cops say. A tattoo could help identify her

UPDATE: New Hampshire state troopers identified the woman as Gina C. Maiorano, 27, of Henniker, authorities announced on June 6. Thomas Shane Hanley, 30, of Henniker, was arrested in connection with her death on June 6 and is facing charges of conduct after an accident, breach of bail and stalking, according to state police.

The original story is below.

A woman’s body was found lying on the shoulder of a highway in New Hampshire, and authorities hope a tattoo may help identify her, according to state police.

Authorities said they received a report about the discovery of her body along Interstate 89 North near the 7.2 mile marker in Hopkinton shortly before 12:15 a.m. on June 5. They found her once they arrived at the scene.

An autopsy revealed she died of blunt impact head injuries, according to a chief medical examiner, and exactly how is pending, New Hampshire State Police said in a June 5 news release.

Police are calling on the public to help identify the woman, whom they describe as white with strawberry blonde to red hair and blue eyes. She is estimated to be between 18 and 30 years old; 5 feet, 1 inch tall; and weighing 111 pounds.

She also has a tattoo of a bird feather, with birds flying out from the top of it, on the left side of the small of her back, according to authorities.

Police shared a photo of the woman’s tattoo in case someone recognizes it and may be able to identify her.

Additionally, the woman’s toenails and fingernails were painted green, police said.

Anyone who noticed “suspicious behavior of an individual or any motor vehicle stopped on the northbound side of Interstate 89 in Hopkinton” between June 4 at 11:25 p.m. and June 5 at 12: 15 a.m. should contact state police at at 603-628-8477, MCU@dos.nh.gov or State Police Headquarters Communications at 603-223-4381.

More information about the incident will be made available as the investigation continues, state police said.

Hopkinton is about 75 miles northwest of Boston, Massachusetts.

This story was originally published June 6, 2023 at 9:46 AM with the headline "Woman found dead on highway, New Hampshire cops say. A tattoo could help identify her."

Julia Marnin

McClatchy DC

Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy News, writing about criminal and civil affairs, including cases involving policing, corrections, civil liberties, fraud, and abuses of power. As a reporter on McClatchy’s National Real-Time Team, she’s also covered the COVID-19 pandemic and a variety of other topics since joining in 2021, following a fellowship with Newsweek. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, she was raised in South Jersey and is now based in New York State.