Police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found on Saturday inside a unit at Rochester Self Storage in Rochester, N.H. The woman has been identified as Jessica Purslow, 45. Her death has been classified as “suspicious” pending an autopsy that was scheduled for yesterday, according to Geoffrey Ward, assistant attorney general.

Police responded to a call about an open storage unit at 110 S. Main St. around midnight, the source reported. Investigators are trying to determine Purslow’s activities in the days before her death. Anyone with information is asked to call Rochester Police Detective Pat Emerson at 603.330.7128.

Purslow leaves behind two daughters and a son, according to Safford West II, who was once engaged to and shares a 6-year-old son with one of Purslow’s daughters. West told authorities he hasn’t seen the victim much in the past year, but believed she was homeless and may have used the storage unit for shelter. “I think she parked there from time to time so that way she had a safe spot if she did have to sleep in her car,” said West, who lived with the daughter until a year ago.

Police visited West’s home early Sunday looking for the daughter, but didn’t say why. “The cops wouldn’t tell us what it was about, and about 20 minutes later I got a phone call from Jessica’s mother,” West said. “She was freaking out, crying. She told me that Jessica is dead.”

West said Purslow was really nice. “She was quirky, and she had her moments, just like anybody would,” he said. “She loved her kids. She always tried to get everyone together.”

Source:
Union Leader, Woman's Body Found in Rochester Storage Unit