Connecticut River Valley Killer
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The Connecticut River Valley Killer, also known as the Valley Killer, is moniker for an unidentified American
serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...
believed to be responsible for at least seven murders of young women in the Connecticut River Valley of the
Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...
between 1978 and 1988. In 1985 and 1986, the skeletal remains of two victims were recovered within a thousand feet of each other in a wooded area in Kelleyville, New Hampshire; forensic examination indicated multiple stab wounds. Between the recovery of the first and second bodies, a 36-year-old woman was stabbed to death in a frenzied attack inside her home in Saxtons River,
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
. Ten days later, the remains of a third missing woman were found, also bearing evidence of stab wounds. At this point, investigators began examining prior homicides in the area and found two previous cases, in 1978 and 1981, that further reinforced the presence of a burgeoning serial killer. At the peak of the investigation, and after additional homicides and one non-fatal attack, investigators noted similarities in ''
modus operandi A ''modus operandi'' (often shortened to M.O.) is someone's habits of working, particularly in the context of business or criminal investigations, but also more generally. It is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode (or manner) of op ...
'', often-used dump sites, and specific wound patterns that linked many of the murders, suggesting a common perpetrator. The murders apparently stopped in 1988 after a woman survived an encounter with the killer. A lead suspect in the case, identified by the surviving victim as her assailant, died in a murder-suicide in 2005.


Victims


Confirmed

* On October 24, 1978, 27-year-old Catherine “Cathy” Millican left work and went to the Chandler Brook Wetland Preserve in New London, New Hampshire where she was photographing birds. The next day, her body, with at least twenty-nine stab wounds, was found only yards away from where she was last seen. * On July 25, 1981, 37-year-old Mary Elizabeth Critchley, a student from the
University of Vermont The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is amon ...
, disappeared near
Interstate 91 Interstate 91 (I-91) is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. The Interstate generally follows the course of the Connecti ...
at the
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
-Vermont border, where she had been
hitchhiking Hitchhiking (also known as thumbing, autostop or hitching) is a means of transportation that is gained by asking individuals, usually strangers, for a ride in their car or other vehicle. The ride is usually, but not always, free. Nomads hav ...
to Waterbury, Vermont. She was last seen by a friend who dropped her off near Exit 13 of the Massachusetts Turnpike. On August 9, her body was found in a wooded area off Unity Stage Road in
Unity, New Hampshire Unity is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,518 at the 2020 census, down from 1,671 at the 2010 census. The town includes the villages of Unity, East Unity, Quaker City, and West Unity. History Prior ...
, about eighty miles from where she was last seen. Owing to the condition of the body, the medical examiner was unable to determine a cause of death. * 17-year-old
nurse's aide Unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) are paraprofessionals who assist individuals with physical disabilities, mental impairments, and other health care needs with their activities of daily living (ADLs). UAPs also provide bedside care—includi ...
and
high school student A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
Bernice Courtemanche was last seen by her boyfriend's mother in Claremont, New Hampshire on May 30, 1984. She was thought to have set out to see her boyfriend in
Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay Europe Ireland *Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...
by hitchhiking along
New Hampshire Route 12 New Hampshire Route 12 is a long north-south state highway in southwestern New Hampshire. Its southern terminus is at the Massachusetts state line in Fitzwilliam, where it continues south as Massachusetts Route 12. Its northern terminus is at th ...
. She did not reach her destination and was subsequently reported missing. On April 19, 1986, a fisherman happened upon Courtemanche's remains near the Sugar River in Newport, New Hampshire. Forensic examination uncovered evidence of knife wounds to the chest and an injury to the head. Her throat had been slit. * On July 22, 1984, 26-year-old Ellen Ruth Fried—supervising nurse at Valley Regional Hospital—was last seen making a late-night stop at around 2 a.m. to use a
payphone A payphone (alternative spelling: pay phone) is typically a coin-operated public telephone, often located in a telephone booth or in high-traffic outdoor areas, with prepayment by inserting money (usually coins) or by billing a credit or debit ...
at Leo's Market in Claremont, New Hampshire. She spoke on the phone for about an hour with her sister, mentioning that there was a strange car driving back and forth and circling the parking lot. She briefly stepped away from the phone to see whether her car would start, and resumed the call for a few more minutes. The next day, Fried failed to report to work and her car was found abandoned on Jarvis Road, a few miles away from the market where she used the payphone. Fried's skeletal remains were found in an isolated wooded area near the banks of the Sugar River in Kelleyville, a village of Newport, New Hampshire, on September 19, 1985. Post-mortem examination revealed evidence of multiple stab wounds and probable
sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...
. * On July 10, 1985, 27-year-old
single mother A single parent is a person who has a child or children but does not have a spouse or live-in partner to assist in the upbringing or support of the child. Reasons for becoming a single parent include divorce, break-up, abandonment, becoming wid ...
Eva Marie Morse was seen
hitchhiking Hitchhiking (also known as thumbing, autostop or hitching) is a means of transportation that is gained by asking individuals, usually strangers, for a ride in their car or other vehicle. The ride is usually, but not always, free. Nomads hav ...
near the border of Charlestown, New Hampshire, on Route 12. This is the last time anyone would see Morse alive, and she too was reported missing. On April 25, 1986, Morse's remains were found by loggers in
Unity, New Hampshire Unity is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,518 at the 2020 census, down from 1,671 at the 2010 census. The town includes the villages of Unity, East Unity, Quaker City, and West Unity. History Prior ...
, about from where Critchley's body had been discovered in 1981. Post-mortem examination found evidence of knife wounds to Morse's chest and neck. * On April 15, 1986, 36-year-old Lynda Moore was doing yard work alone outside her home in Saxtons River, Vermont, near Route 121 at 2 p.m. while her husband was at work. That evening, her husband returned home an hour after she was last seen to find his wife's dead body in the living room, bearing twenty-five knife wounds. The crime scene suggested a fierce struggle had taken place. There were no signs of forced entry or ransacking. Numerous witnesses reported having seen a slightly stocky, dark-haired man with a blue knapsack lingering near Moore's home the day of the murder. The man was thought to be between 20-and-25-years-old, clean shaven, with a round face, and wearing dark-rimmed glasses. The following year, a composite sketch was released. * On January 10, 1987, 38-year-old nurse Barbara Agnew was returning from a skiing outing with friends in
Stratton, Vermont Stratton is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 440 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 46.9 square miles (121.5 km2), of which 46.4 ...
on
Stratton Mountain (Vermont) Stratton Mountain is a mountain located in Windham County, Vermont, in the Green Mountain National Forest. The mountain is the highest point of Windham County, and of the southern Green Mountains generally. A fire tower located on the summit is g ...
. At 10 p.m., she was last seen heading to her home in Norwich, Vermont. That evening, a
snowplow A snowplow (also snow plow, snowplough or snow plough) is a device intended for mounting on a vehicle, used for removing snow and ice from outdoor surfaces, typically those serving transportation purposes. Although this term is often used to re ...
driver encountered her green BMW at a northbound
Interstate 91 Interstate 91 (I-91) is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. The Interstate generally follows the course of the Connecti ...
rest stop in Hartford, Vermont. The door was cracked and there was blood on the
steering wheel A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel (UK), a hand wheel, or simply wheel) is a type of steering control in vehicles. Steering wheels are used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles, buses, light and ...
and back seat. Some of her bloodstained belongings were found in a nearby dumpster. On March 28, 1987, Agnew's body was found near an apple tree on Advent Hill Road in a wooded area in Hartland, Vermont. It was twelve miles from the rest area. She had been stabbed repeatedly in the neck and chest. She had several defense wounds, as well as a "disabling" wound. * Late in the evening on August 6, 1988, 22-year-old Jane Boroski, seven months pregnant, was returning from a county fair in Keene, New Hampshire, when she stopped at a closed convenience store in West Swanzey to purchase soda from a vending machine. Boroski had returned to her car when she took notice of a Jeep Wagoneer parked next to her. Through her rear-view mirror, Boroski then saw the driver of the vehicle walking around the back of her vehicle. He then approached her open window and asked her if the payphone was working, at which time he immediately grabbed her and pulled her from the vehicle. Boroski struggled, and the man accused her of beating up his girlfriend and asked if she had Massachusetts plates on her car. Boroski responded that she had New Hampshire plates, but this did not deter her attacker, who proceeded to stab her 27 times before driving away and leaving her to die. Boroski managed to return to her car and drive on New Hampshire Route 32 toward a friend's house for help. As she neared the house, she noticed a vehicle driving in front of her and realized that it was her attacker's Jeep. Boroski finally reached her friend's home at which the occupants immediately came to her aid. Her attacker apparently performed a U-turn and slowly passed by the house as Boroski was tended to before speeding away into the night. Boroski was treated at a local hospital, where it was determined that the attack had resulted in a severed jugular vein, two collapsed lungs, a
kidney The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood ...
laceration A wound is a rapid onset of injury that involves lacerated or punctured skin (an ''open'' wound), or a contusion (a ''closed'' wound) from blunt force trauma or compression. In pathology, a ''wound'' is an acute injury that damages the epiderm ...
, and severed
tendon A tendon or sinew is a tough, high-tensile-strength band of dense fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. It is able to transmit the mechanical forces of muscle contraction to the skeletal system without sacrificing its ability ...
s in her
knee In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the hu ...
s and
thumb The thumb is the first digit of the hand, next to the index finger. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position (where the palm is facing to the front), the thumb is the outermost digit. The Medical Latin English noun for thumb ...
. Fortunately, Boroski's baby survived, although not without complications; Boroski's daughter would later be diagnosed with mild
cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sensa ...
. Boroski was able to provide authorities with a composite sketch and the first three characters of the attacker's license plate. However, the killings ceased following the Boroski attack and the case became cold with Boroski being the sole survivor of the killer.


Possible

* On June 11, 1968, at approximately 7:10 a.m., Joanne Dunham, 15, was last seen while walking from her home at Raiche Mobile Homes in Charlestown, New Hampshire to her bus stop on her way to school. Her body was found at 4:15 p.m. the following day on a roped off dirt road on Quaker City Road in
Unity, New Hampshire Unity is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,518 at the 2020 census, down from 1,671 at the 2010 census. The town includes the villages of Unity, East Unity, Quaker City, and West Unity. History Prior ...
. An autopsy determined that she had died of asphyxiation. * On October 5, 1982, 76-year-old Sylvia Gray was found bludgeoned and stabbed to death in a wooded area, a few hundred yards from her home in Plainfield, New Hampshire, a day after having been reported missing. 38-year-old Steven Hill was last seen on June 20, 1986, retrieving his paycheck from his Lebanon, New Hampshire employer. On July 15, Hill's body was found with multiple stab wounds in Hartland, across the
Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...
from where Gray's body had been found four years earlier. * On May 20, 1984, 16-year-old Heidi Lee Martin went for a jog in Hartland, Vermont, on Martinsville Road. The next day, her body was found in a swampy area behind Hartland Elementary School. She had been
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
d and stabbed to death. 21-year-old Delbert Tallman confessed to the crime and was tried; however, he later recanted his confession and was acquitted. Her case remains unsolved. Nearly three years later, Agnew's body would be found approximately a mile from where Martin was discovered. * On June 24, 1989, decomposed body parts consisting of arms and legs belonging to a woman were found dumped alongside Massachusetts Route 78 in
Warwick, Massachusetts Warwick is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 780 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Warwick was first settled in 1739 and was offi ...
, less than a mile from the New Hampshire border. The entire body was believed to have been dismembered. The head and torso were never found and are believed to have been disposed of elsewhere. Investigators ruled the death a homicide. The victim was described as white, average height, with an athletic type body. The woman's identity is still unknown and the homicide remains unsolved. * On July 25, 1989, 14-year-old Carrie Moss of New Boston, New Hampshire, left her parents' home to visit friends in Goffstown and disappeared. Almost exactly two years later, on July 24, 1991, her skeletal remains were found in a wooded area in New Boston. While her cause of death could not be determined, she was thought to be the victim of a homicide.


See also

*
List of fugitives from justice who disappeared This is a list of fugitives from justice, notable people who disappeared or evaded capture while being sought by law enforcement agencies in connection with a crime, and who are currently sought or were sought for the duration of their presume ...
*
List of serial killers in the United States A serial killer is typically a person who kills three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines serial murder a ...


References


External links


New Hampshire Cold CasesVermont Cold Cases
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connecticut River Valley Killer 1978 murders in the United States American murderers of children American rapists American serial killers Crimes in New Hampshire Crimes in Vermont Fugitives History of women in New Hampshire Murder in New Hampshire Murder in Vermont Serial killers from New Hampshire Serial killers from Vermont Sexual assaults in the United States Unidentified American serial killers Unsolved murders in the United States Women in Vermont Year of birth unknown