As police investigate whether there is more than one murder victim on Sheila LaBarre's Epping farm, a Somersworth woman is worried about her son, who lived there before he disappeared two years ago.
"I think he's dead," Donna Boston said yesterday. "I really do."
Boston and her husband, Gordon, said they haven't seen Donna's son, Michael Deloge, since July 2004. They say police called on his 38th birthday in March to say officers searching LaBarre's farm in a murder investigation found some of her son's belongings. Donna Boston believes it was a letter containing her name, address and phone number.
Investigators also have interviewed them about LaBarre and Deloge, but had more questions than answers.
"I should have gotten some kind of answer by now," Donna Boston said yesterday. "It's been more than a month, with no answer as to whether he is dead or alive."
Epping police Chief Gregory Dodge told a newspaper that Deloge has been listed as a missing person since late March. Donna Boston said it was not unusual for her son to be out of touch for long periods, but that she became concerned when she began seeing stories about the massive police search on LaBarre's farm.
After 17 days of scouring the property, police said they found enough evidence to charge LaBarre with killing and burning the body of another live-in boyfriend, Kenneth Countie, 24, formerly of Wilmington, Mass. Police reported finding three burn pits and have acknowledged they are investigating other possible victims.
It was during the search that they contacted the Bostons.
The couple said LaBarre, 47, met Deloge in 2003 when he lived at a homeless shelter in Portsmouth. Donna Boston said LaBarre would visit Cross Roads House to find men to work on her farm.
They said they saw Deloge last in 2004 when he and LaBarre came to their apartment. They said it looked like the two had been arguing and, with LaBarre doing most of the talking, that they came to the apartment looking for trouble.
Donna Boston said she was ill at the time and sent LaBarre and her son away.
Though Boston said her son told her he was happy with LaBarre, she said he had changed for the worse.
"Michael had changed his ways and his health and everything when he met up with her," she said.
"He was pimply faced," she said of her last contact with her son. "He looked like had lost a lot of weight. He didn't even talk very much at all. She did all the talking."
Witnesses said Countie appeared to be in failing health when last seen with LaBarre in March.
State police Capt. Russell Conte would not comment specifically on Deloge, but said police continue investigating contacts LaBarre had with other people as they look into whether there may have been other victims.
"We'd be foolish not to believe that," he said.
He reiterated that the investigation is far from over, with police waiting for analysis of evidence they found at the farm and continuing to follow leads.
"We know we have one victim, and certainly the possibility exists that there may be more," he said.
Conte said police still want to hear from anyone who knew people who associated with LaBarre, and who have not been heard from.
"The more we keep this in the public eye, the more people will think about it" and possibly make a call that could provide valuable evidence, he said.
