Two people found dead separately in New Hampshire and Maine in September were with each other in a dumpster in their last moments, investigators announced Friday, outlining the tragic events that led to their deaths.
Jessica Lurvey's body was found at a waste transfer facility in Belmont, New Hampshire, on Sept. 9, while Matthew Schofield's was found 12 days later at a solid waste facility in Lewiston, Maine, according to state and local police and the New Hampshire District Attorney's Office.
Investigators now believe that Lurvey, 28, and Schofield, 29, had gotten into the trash bin to take shelter from a heavy rain storm on Wednesday, Sept. 8, according to a statement. Downpours and localized flooding were in the forecast that day.
The pair had been in a relationship and are believed to have taken fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, officials said. While they were in the dumpster, a trash truck came and picked up the contents of the vehicle, including their bodies, and taken to the Belmont facility.
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That's where Lurvey's remains were found the next day while the waste was being sorted. Officials said at the time that her body was discovered "when contents were being removed and separated" from the truck. Schofield's remains went undetected and were taken to Maine.
Lurvey's death was ruled accidental, caused by being crushed by a trash compactor while under the influence, officials said. Schofield's death was ruled to be an accident, probably from a mix of fentanyl and other drugs.
