Police: Homeless Man Died From Blunt Force Trauma In City Park

MANCHESTER, NH — Manchester police have arrested a homeless man who is accused of assaulting another man in Victory Park who has died.

Police responded to Victory Park Thursday for reports of a serious assault. When police, fire, and AMR arrived they found a man who was unresponsive and transported him to a local hospital. The man was in stable condition. Police identified him as Brian Berlo, 57, who was believed to be homeless. Over the weekend, police were notified that Berlo died at the hospital.

Investigators determined Berlo was in an argument with two men that escalated into a physical fight around 8:30 p.m. in the park located in downtown Manchester. Brandon Gomez, 26, of no fixed address, was arrested without incident on Friday in the vicinity of Wilson and Valley streets on a charge of felony first-degree assault. He was held on preventive detention and arraigned Monday at Hillsborough County Superior Court North.

An autopsy was performed on the victim Monday by the NH Office of the Chief Medical Examiners Office, and it was determined the cause of death was blunt trauma to the head. The manner of death was determined to be a homicide.

After Gomez was arraigned, police were notified that the death of Barlo had been determined to be a homicide. Lt. Matthew Barter said, “Charges against Gomez are subject to change based upon further developments in the investigation. Facts and circumstances surrounding this incident, others involved, and the potential for additional charges remain under investigation.”

This homicide investigation is the second one this year involving the death of a homeless person. In February a homicide occurred on Chestnut Street outside of a homeless shelter 3 blocks from the Victory Park location.

Jean Lascelle, 67, died when he was shot. Timothy Johnson, 38 was accused of second-degree murder after investigators said he shot Lascelle in the head. Johnson was arrested in Framingham, MA but has fought extradition to New Hampshire. The most recent information available is that Johnson remains in Massachusetts. Details on that investigation can be found by clicking here

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Manchester Police Department Detective Division at 603-668-8711.

Information can be anonymously provided to the Manchester CrimeLine by calling 603-624-4040, logging on to manchestercrimeline.org, or via the secure “Submit a Tip” app.

Cash rewards are available for information that leads to an arrest.