Staff reports 9:12 a.m.
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 9:11 am

From left, Richard Trueman, Kayla Hartford, Keenan Skillin (Trueman/Rochester Police photo; Hartford, Skillin/Courtesy)

ROCHESTER - A city man has been indicted in a drug-related death for the second time in less than two years.

Richard Trueman, 40, of 31 Winter St., Rochester, is facing life imprisonment - again - this time in the death of Kayla Hartford, who died on March 4 or 5, 2022, as a result of ingesting (fentanyl) given to her by Trueman, according to the indictment handed down by a Strafford County grand jury earlier this month.

According to her obituary, Hartford died on March 4. She leaves behind a son, who was seven at the time of her death.

In July 2021 Trueman was indicted in the fentanyl overdose death of a Somersworth man in September 2020.
According to the 2021 indictment, Keenan Skillin (misspelled Skillen in court paperwork), 38, died as a result of ingesting fentanyl, which was "knowing dispensed" to him by Trueman on Sept. 29, 2020. According to social media posts, Skillin, who grew up in Farmington, died the next day.
According to Skillin's Facebook page, he was married and had worked as a machine operator at Rand-Whitney.

Both charges carry up to a life sentence in New Hampshire State Prison.

Trueman was allowed bail in his first dispensing fentanyl death resulting case on Aug. 5, 2021.

Strafford County Attorney Tom Velardi, who is prosecuting both cases, was not available for comment.