Cheryl Maher strangled, stabbed to death by boyfriend's son, police say

CONCORD, N.H. — Former Utahn Cheryl Maher was strangled and stabbed to death, apparently by the 18-year-old son of her current boyfriend in Weare, N.H., investigators said Tuesday.

Autopsies performed by New Hampshire authorities identified the victims as Maher, 41, and Jacob Geiser, 18. Maher's death was ruled a homicide. The teenage boy is the son of Joseph Geiser, whom Maher had lived with for three months.

Jacob Geiser died of a single gunshot to the head, according the state authorities. His death was ruled a suicide, according to a statement by the New Hampshire attorney general, state police and the medical examiner.

Jacob Geiser apparently killed Maher before committing a home invasion about a mile away from the Geiser residence on Sunday morning, authorities said. The investigation is ongoing.

As a 15-year-old, Maher was involved in a hot-tubbing incident with married state lawmaker Kevin Garn in 1985. Garn, 28 at the time, asked her to hot tub with him in Salt Lake City. Garn was a friend of the Maher family and had taught the girl's Sunday School class.

Garn insisted there was no physical contact during the 1985 nude hot tub incident, but Maher told the Deseret News that wasn't true and said they had a relationship that lasted several months.

Garn, former House majority leader, resigned from the Legislature after a tearful admission to the incident in the closing hours of the 2010 session. Garn said he paid the woman $150,000 to "help her heal" and she had agreed to keep the incident confidential.

E-mail: marjorie@desnews.com