A 38-year-old New Hampshire man will spend decades behind bars for fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend as she sat on the couch with their 4-year-old daughter nearby.
Dustin Mark Duren was sentenced last week to between 45 years and life behind bars for the murder of 31-year-old Caitlyn Naffziger. He was convicted on charges of second-degree murder, reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and endangering the welfare of a child in October.
Duren Repeatedly Asked Naffziger to Leave His Apartment, Became 'Angry' When She Refused to Leave
According to prosecutors, Duren and Naffziger were in the midst of a nasty dispute over the custody of their two children, then aged 4 and 1. In January 2024, Duren moved from his native Minnesota to New Hampshire and brought one of the kids with him. Naffziger flew down to New Hampshire with the other child on Feb. 27, 2024.
Duren, Naffziger and the two kids were in his apartment in Berlin but the defendant did not want his ex-girlfriend there and "repeatedly" asked when she was leaving. "She ignored him or did not respond to his satisfaction," prosecutors wrote in Duren's sentencing memorandum. "The defendant became frustrated, then angry."
On Feb. 29, 2024, Duren tried to force her out of his apartment and leave the kids behind, which she refused to do. As she held the 4-year-old while sitting on the couch with a pink unicorn blanket wrapped around her, Duren yanked the girl away with one hand and fired a gun at the left side of Naffziger's head, killing her.
Duren Claimed He Believed His Ex was Going to Kidnap the Children
Later, the girl told a doctor that the gunshot hurt her ears."Mommy and daddy were fighting," she told the doctor. "Daddy hurt me and mommy. Mommy had lots of blood."
After shooting the victim, Duren grabbed the kids and fled, prompting an Amber Alert. Witnesses said they saw Duren and the kids in the parking lot of an Applebee's. The children were unharmed.
Duren testified during the trial, claiming he felt as if his ex was going to kidnap the children. But the jury didn't buy his argument and convicted him after deliberating for roughly five hours.
