NORWICH — A woman who was found dead in Norwich in May died due to “asphyxia by exclusion of oxygen” as a result of “nitrogen gas delivered to face mask and plastic bag over head,” according to the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office.
First responders found Noel A. Neely, 82, in her Douglas Road home the morning of Saturday, May 9, according to Vermont State Police.
A death certificate obtained by the Valley News notes that Neely’s manner of death “could not be determined.”
Neely was pronounced dead just before 12:30 p.m. on May 9, according to the death certificate, but the nitrogen gas exposure, which is noted as a “contributing condition” to Neely’s death, is listed as having occurred in May 2026 at an “unknown time” at Neely’s residence.
“The state police investigation into the circumstances leading up to and following the death remains active and ongoing,” Vermont State Police wrote in a Monday news release.
When Neely’s death was first reported in May, police said that “initial investigation indicates the woman’s death occurred under potentially suspicious circumstances.” Police also indicated that there was no threat to the public and that autopsy results would be forthcoming.
Neely served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1977 to 1982, where she represented Pomfret as a Republican. The House held a moment of silence for Neely following her death.
She shared the home with her husband, Donald, a longtime Upper Valley orthodontist, according to Norwich property records.
When reached by phone Tuesday, Donald Neely declined to comment on his wife’s death.
A note on the door of Donald Neely’s orthodontic practice, Hanover Orthodontics, at 7 Allen St. in Hanover notes that the office is closed as of June 1 “due to a death in the family and illness.”
The note includes two Vermont phone numbers to reach the orthodontist but states that in case of emergency patients should contact a Dr. Emily Samuel at a number linked to Springfield Orthodontics in Springfield, Vt., or a family dentist.
“Thank you for your support for over fifty-six years” the note reads. “We will miss every one of you.”
The office was locked with the lights shut off Tuesday.
Though the practice has been closed intermittently since May due to Neely’s death, social media posts indicate that issues with the practice date back further than the spring.
Some commenters on the Hanover Orthodontics Facebook page and in Upper Valley Facebook groups have alleged that patients have struggled to schedule appointments since fall 2025. Some wrote that they prepaid for treatment that they were not able to have completed because they could not reach the practice or secure appointments.
Donald Neely declined to comment Tuesday on claims that patients struggled to secure treatment at his orthodontic practice, including for prepaid services. The phone call then disconnected abruptly.
Neely’s license to practice dentistry in New Hampshire expired April 30, according to a database from the state Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. The database lists no disciplinary actions filed against Neely.
There is currently one small claims complaint filed against Hanover Orthodontics in New Hampshire for between $5,001 and $10,000 according to the online docket. The claim was filed May 12.