Suspect was arrested in Gilroy in 2003
Gilroy – A woman walking her dog along the Ohio Turnpike Thursday discovered the bodies of two New Hampshire children allegedly murdered by their father Manuel Gehring two years ago. Gehring, 44, was last seen arguing with his children at a Fourth of July fireworks display in 2003, until he turned up six days later at the Roadway Inn in Gilroy after a nationwide manhunt.
Autopsies revealed Sarah Gehring, 14, and her brother Philip, 11, died of multiple gunshot wounds. Sarah suffered three shots to the head and Philip suffered shots to the arms, neck and head. The bodies were found wrapped and marked with a duct-tape cross.
Gilroy police arrested Gehring, 44, at the request of the Concord, N.H. Police Department for felony child concealment. He and his ex-wife Teresa Knight shared custody of the children and had recently signed a mediated agreement altering the custody arrangement. After signing the agreement, Gehring told Knight he had no intention of following it.
Early reports after the children disappeared led investigators to searching the roadside of I-80.
Police traced Gehring to the Gilroy hotel using credit card receipts, but police officials do not believe Gilroy was his final destination.
According to court documents, Gehring admitted to killing his children and burying their bodies in shallow graves along the Ohio Turnpike. Investigators unsuccessfully searched various segments of the roadway. Knight joined search efforts coming within five miles of the site.
She plans to visit her children’s graves.
“I always knew it would happen someday,” she said after learning the remains were positively identified. “I was trying to figure out a way that I was going to be able to move on in my life.”
Gehring was scheduled to go to trial for two counts of first degree murder in September of 2004, however, he committed suicide in his jail cell in February.
