Neighbors Describe Man As Friendly, Troubled Police Search Somersworth Home of Hostage Suspect, WMUR, November 30, 2007

Neighbors Describe Man As Friendly, Troubled
Police Search Somersworth Home of Hostage Suspect

WMUR
November 30, 2007

http://www.wmur.com/news/14743376/detail.html

SOMERSWORTH, N.H. — The man police say took four Hillary Clinton staffers hostage on Friday was known to police, but his neighbors said they were shocked by the news of the hostage taking.

Leeland Eisenberg served time in a Massachusetts prison and was released in 2005. He was charged in April with stalking in Rochester and was due in court on Friday for a domestic violence hearing.

Neighbors described Eisenberg as both friendly and troubled, a loner who goes out walking every day, usually wearing a suit.

Eisenberg was surrendering in Rochester, police were at his home in nearby Somersworth. Neighbors said he has lived in his mobile home in Westbrook Park for the past six months or so.

Police examined the shed behind his home and removed brown paper bags and carried them to cruisers outside. Soon, a car pulled up and a hooded woman — who neighbors identified as Eisenberg's estranged wife, Lisa — and his stepson went into the home and shut the door.

A note was posted outside reading, "Please respect our privacy. We will not be available for comments at this time."

Neighbors said they were stunned when they learned the hostage situation involved Eisenberg

"When I saw his picture, I said, 'Oh my god. How could it be him?'" neighbor Lucie Sukduang said.

"I was very surprised when it came on the TV," neighbor Erik Carlsen said. "I never thought he'd do something like that."

"He was a friendly man, and when I found this whole thing out, I was shocked," neighbor George Isaacson said.

Neighbors said there have been problems. They said they heard arguments and saw police responding to Eisenberg's home in the past.

Foster's Daily Democrat reported that divorce papers were filed Tuesday. Lisa Eisenberg claimed irreconcilable differences, saying her husband suffered from alcohol and drug abuse.

In the past year, Eisenberg was charged with stalking and DWI in Rochester.

In March, he spoke to News 9 from Rochester City Hall complaining about police leaving notes inside vehicles warning drivers to lock their doors.

Eisenberg was also involved in a sex abuse lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Boston and Cardinal Bernard Law. Eisenberg, formerly known as Ralph Woodward, sued for emotional distress, saying he was molested by a priest in the early 1980s while he was homeless and staying in Massachusetts.

Neighbors said Friday that they're relieved everyone involved in the incident is OK. They sad that looking back, there were warning signs of trouble, but they never imagined it would go this far.