Less than a month before he passed away from cancer, Eric Leedberg and his partner Wendy Snow travelled to Cape Cod. In photographs posted by Snow on Facebook, she’s seen clutching a bouquet, beaming. Eric has a boutonniere pinned to his polo shirt.
Snow would later say that she and Eric married that afternoon on a South Yarmouth beach.
But if and when the couple ever legally married — and who may have performed the ceremony — is now at the center of a criminal case.
Longtime Winchester, New Hampshire town clerk Jim Tetreault was arrested last week on accusations of records fraud after he signed a marriage license, allegedly at Snow’s request, in November 2023, more than two months after the purported ceremony on Cape Cod — and a month after Eric Leedberg’s death.
Tetreault, who is a registered Justice of the Peace, initially told investigators that he performed the ceremony in his living room on the evening of Sept. 14, 2023 but that there were no other witnesses present besides the supposed bride and groom.
In an interview, Tetreault said he had no evidence, including texts, photos or emails, proving the ceremony took place.
The investigator assigned to the case warned Tetreault that signing a marriage license involving someone who is deceased “was an issue.”
During a later interview, Tetreault acknowledged that he signed the marriage license in November, at Wendy’s request, saying he had been friends with her for years, according to an affidavit. He also admitted knowing that Leedberg had passed away.
“I messed up,” he told authorities.
Significant other or spouse
According to his obituary, after graduating from Nashua High School, Eric Leedberg would go on to run a local landscaping company. He died surrounded by his family following a two-year battle with cancer at the age of 53. (None of his immediate family members were willing to speak with NHPR for this story.)
Wendy Snow is listed as Eric’s “significant other” in the obituary.
By the time of his death, however, Wendy had legally changed her name to Wendy Leedberg-Snow. According to a name change petition filed in August 2023, Snow told the court that she wanted to “change my name in honor of another person who has greatly impacted my life and would provide unity with the family.”
The petition makes no mention of an upcoming wedding.
It isn’t clear if any members of Leedberg’s family were aware of the name change before Eric’s death. But according to the affidavit, the family contacted the state’s Vital Records office after seeing Leedberg-Snow’s name listed as “spouse” on Eric’s death certificate.
Vital Records staff launched their own review of the marriage license signed by Tetreault, gathering statements from the family as well as other materials, which were eventually turned over to law enforcement.
Wendy Leedberg-Snow declined a request for comment for this story. She has not been accused of any wrongdoing, according to the Attorney General’s office.
Tetreault is accused of felony vital records fraud, as well as a misdemeanor count of notarial misconduct. He remains in his elected post as Winchester’s town moderator and tax collector.
“Jim is a well respected member of the community,” said Ben Kilanski, chair of the Winchester Selectboard, told NHPR when asked about whether the town may seek to remove or discipline Tetreault. “He’s done his job with respect to town clerk very well.”
Tetreault is scheduled to be arraigned next month in Keene District Court.
