NH authorities: Mom killed during drug robbery

OSSIPEE, N.H. – A Maine woman whose body was discovered in a New Hampshire pond — near where her toddler daughter was found unharmed in a running car — was killed during a drug robbery, authorities said in court documents released Wednesday.

The documents were filed in support of the arrests of three men in the April 22 robbery and killing of 20-year-old Krista Dittmeyer, of Portland.

Dittmeyer was lured to Michael Petelis' Ossipee home on April 22, according to the criminal complaint. Sometime after 9:45 p.m., Anthony Papile struck her on the head with a rubber club so he could steal drugs and money from her, authorities wrote.

Papile and Petelis bound her with duct tape and put her in the trunk of her own car, authorities said. Papile drove Dittmeyer's car to the Cranmore ski area and put Dittmeyer in the pond, investigators said.

Dittmeyer's 14-month-old daughter was found the next day, unharmed, in the car. The woman's body was found in a nearby pond April 27.

Papile, 28, of Ossipee, was charged with second-degree murder.

Petelis, 28, and 23-year-old Trevor Ferguson, of Tamworth, were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. The documents say Ferguson agreed to give Papile a ride to his home in exchange for money and drugs.

All three were arraigned Wednesday but were not required to enter pleas. Each was represented by a court-appointed attorney who didn't speak to the media. Papile was ordered held without bail, while Petelis and Ferguson were held on $250,000 bail.

The girl is now being cared for by her grandmother.

It's unclear if Dittmeyer was alive or dead when she was placed in the pond. Investigators said she died from suffocation or drowning.