[8], On November 10, 1985, a hunter found a metal 55-gallon drum near the site of a burned-down store at Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, New Hampshire. The hunter had been stalking deer on a property adjacent to New Hampshire's Bear Brook State Park. When I got up in the morning, I pulled my shades back, there was clouds and a beautiful blue sky, and there was seagulls circling in the sky, they were beautiful. In her free time, Heath began scouring the internet for any clues she could find. Curiously, against the advice of his attorneys, Vanner pleaded guilty to the murder during his trial. bodies found. She also may have suffered from anemia. The Story of the Serial Killer Behind the "Bear Brook Murders" "The Bear Brook case was the . I closed the blinds back up. Murders", "N.H. missing woman case linked to bodies found in steel drums in state park", "AG: NH cold cases linked to California murder", National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, "Video of police interview with 'Bob Evans' released; authorities hope for clues about killer", "Authorities reveal actual identity of killer known as 'Bob Evans', "True ID of 'Chameleon' Killer Revealed Terry Peder Rasmussen", "New Hampshire's Most Infamous Cold Case Leads to Unrelated 1985 Tenn. I was like, There is no way there is no way thats a coincidence,' Heath said, This is huge.'. Roxane Gruenheid was a homicide detective at the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. Sarah L. McWaters was 11 months old when she was last seen with her mother and sister around Thanksgiving of 1978. One of the hunters looked inside the open barrel and saw a skull. [28] Beaudin disappeared from Manchester, New Hampshire, along with her young daughter and then-boyfriend Robert "Bob" Evans. Rasmussen had been convicted of the murder of aromantic partner in 2003. With the confirmation, police believe theycan officially implicate serial killerTerry Peder Rasmussen, who had passed away while in prison in 2010, in their deaths. [6] Aided by genetic genealogist Barbara Rae-Venter in 2015, Beaudin's daughter discovered her mother's identity and that the man she once thought had been her father was her kidnapper. Rebekah Heath, a librarian and true crime enthusiast from Connecticut, was ultimately the one who made the link between "Bob Evans," Rasmussen, and the missing women, leading to a round of DNA tests which ultimately confirmed the identityof the victims thus solving the crime. The Mysterious Bear Brook Murders | Dispatches From The Middle This is the first in an unknown number of short updates to the story of the Bear Brook murders that we'll be producing to let listeners know about any breaking news in the case. Jesse Morgan, who grew up in a small trailer park surrounded by Bear Brook, was 11 when he and his friends stumbled upon the first barrel. [8][10] He was arrested that November and pleaded no contest in 2003[12] to charges relating to her murder and dismemberment. It just made me angry and curious.. We were playing a game of hide and seek, Morgan told 20/20. I was approached by one of the kids in the group that he had come upon a barrel out in the middle of the woods, which was off the trail. Josh is charged under the federal death resulting law a new and growing strategy for prosecutors and faces a sentence of two decades or longer. Rae-Venter said that in viewing the timeline for Rasmussen, it appears most likely that his daughter was born in Texas, possibly on the Gulf Coast if Rasmussen was working on an oil rig at the time. She had curly or wavy brown hair and was between 5ft 2in (1.57m) and 5ft 7in (1.70m) in height. In 1981, Denise Beaudin went missing shortly after Thanksgiving with her 6-month-old daughter and her boyfriend, Rasmussen, who she knew as Robert T. Evans, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. He had settled in nearby Manchester, New Hampshire, under the alias "Bob Evans" in the late 1970s. DNA evidence then connected the man officially identified as Terry Rasmussen to the bodies found in Bear Brook. In 1985 two bodies were discovered in a barrel in the Bear Brook State Park. When they reached out to Jenson again to finalize the adoption, he had disappeared. Host Jason Moon documents how those involved grapple with the idea that the prevailing story about who killed Sharon Johnson could be a lie. Huber says the investigation is stalled because she is still unidentified. Bear Brook Starting February 20 Jason Carroll is serving life in prison for a murder he says he didn't commit. [Its because] there's still one victim out there, former Detective Cody said. Curiously, the first drum was way back in 1985 and the second wasnt discovered until 2000. Click here to donate $20. June 7, 2019 A clue is found buried on an internet message board. David Salamon, Honeychurchs brother, remembered the lengths to which their family went to find Honeychurch and her daughters. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here. an investigative journalist and the author of the book "Chase Darkness With Me." . Rasmussen was convicted and sentenced for the murder in 2002 of his then-wife, Eunsoon Jun; he died in prison in 2010. Police believe Honeychurch fled to New Hampshire with Rasmussen, who at that point had begun using the name "Bob Evans." It's a blue 55-gallon steel drum. Inside were the bodies of an adult female and young girl, wrapped in plastic. [7], By 1978, Rasmussen was dating Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch. This isn't the big news we're hoping to break - stay subscribed for another full episode of Bear Brook that we hope to bring you soon. Want to make sure that NHPR continues creating projects like Bear Brook? A fox, a wolf and a spaceboy: Felix, Zo and Arlo Duff posed up a storm ahead of their school day in celebration of World Book Day. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Police believe her answer indicates they may have been killed by Rasmussen, too. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! This isn't the big news we're hoping to break - stay subscribed for another full episode of Bear Brook that we hope to bring you soon. Inside The Rise And Fall Of Atlantic City, Retired Kansas City Detective Roger Golubski Charged With Sex-Trafficking Teenage Girls In The 1990s, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. February 27, 2023 We begin with the story police told about Sharon Johnson's murder. Police believe she died one to two years later, making her 26 to 27 when she died. By 2001, Rasmussen was working odd jobs in California under yet another alias, Lawrence Vanner. Bear Brook | S2 - TRAILER Trailer: Bear Brook S2: A True Crime Story 00:00 03:23 The crime goes by many names, but one thing that is certain-it is one of the most horrendous and baffling crimes in American history. Police question a man with multiple identities. Most serial killers would never do that; it's the last thing they would do. [11], San Bernardino detective Peter Headley got Lisa's case in 2013 and genealogy website databases had grown since the case had started. Vanner fended off her loved ones questions with an array of excuses. Ultimately, the body was identified as Jun, who police determined had died of blunt force trauma to the head. Renee Rose spoke to "20/20" about her friend Eunsoon Jun. "The Chameleon Killer" The Bear Brook Murders (TV Episode 2021 - IMDb Known by a lengthy list of aliases, Terry Peder Rasmussen has been dubbed The Chameleon Killer for assuming so many different identities as he infiltrated families and destroyed lives in New Hampshire and California. of Corrections, he broke parole and fled, Gruenheid said. [29], In June 2017, police released a video of a police interview of Evans in hopes of finding his true identity. Sarah is believed to have been 2 to 3 years old at the time she was killed, according to authorities. He was sentenced to 15 years to life in jail. In 2003, when the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department opened a new case aimed at finding Lisas biological family, she was approximately 22 years old. [3] Moon began covering the cold case in 2015, and later started the podcast. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. By 1981, Evans was romantically linked to a woman namedDenise Beaudin who also went missing with her daughter shortly thereafter. Three Bear Brook Murder Victims Identified; Citizen Sleuth, Genetic Although this moment is bittersweet, they had their names back on this day. The bodies could not be identified at the time, leading the case to go cold. Bear Brook murders update: Unidentified girl might have relatives in He was very, very white, very pale, Montplaisir told 20/20. He said to me, There's a barrel up in the woods, and I think there's some bones in there.. It wasnt Rasmussens first time in prison, however hed just been using a different name. Decades later, investigators discovered that Denise Beaudin was the mother of the child known as Lisa, a little girl Rasmussen claimed in the 1980s was his daughter, which DNA tests later confirmed wasnt true. We do regrettably fear that his daughter's mother is probably another victim somewhere, Carol Schweitzer, of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said. In June 2013, new versions of the victims' facial reconstructions were created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Due to his use of many aliases, most notably "Bob Evans", Rasmussen is known as "The Chameleon Killer". It was just odd that the barrel was out there It was [a] slightly rusted, dark blue barrel. Although the Allenstown barrels were discovered during his lifetime, Rasmussen was not named as the culprit until 2017, when DNA profiling connected him to the crime. Jenson said after those two weeks, the Deckers could arrange for their daughter to adopt Lisa, police said. He pleaded guilty to the death of his partnerEunsoon Jun, landing him a 15 year prison sentence, according to The Los Angeles Times. Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch (b. Marie Vaughn was last seen with her mother and sister at a Thanksgiving gathering in 1978. [6], In 2019, the three biologically related females were identified as a mother, Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch, and her two daughters (of different biological fathers) Marie Elizabeth Vaughn and Sarah Lynn McWaters, last seen in November 1978. After Jenson disappeared, the Deckers were unable to complete the adoption and Lisa was taken into protective custody. [6], Rasmussen lived in a number of states including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Oregon, Hawaii and California. In 1985 the plastic wrapped bodies of a woman and girl were discovered in a metal drum in a forest in Allenstown, New Hampshire. [5] Throughout 1980, he was arrested in Manchester three times for writing a bad check, theft, and diverting electric current. She loved her kids dearly, Chagaris said. A child is abandoned. [40], Sarah's younger half brother, who had never met her, created a post in 1999 on the Ancestry.com website in efforts to locate her. Deza was identified by Othram on February 23, 2023. Yet, they still had no clue who the victims were. Diane Kloepfer is one of four biological children Terry Rasmussen fathered in his marriage. They can rest in peace. Instead, they focus on complete strangers. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? For more on the case and to see a timeline of Sharon's last day, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. Amazon pauses construction on 2nd headquarters in Virginia She had been placed in the refrigerator with a pillow, sleeping bag and what appeared to be several blankets, he said. Then, 15 years later on May 9, 2000, a second 55-gallon drum was discovered in the same area. Marie E. Vaughn was first, born in 1971, then Sarah L. McWaters was born in 1977, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. [2] He often worked as an electrician for oil and gas companies. and I went, This can't be, Rose said of learning her friend was gone. In 1995, scavengers found a refrigerator containing what former San Joaquin County Assistant Sheriff John Huber believes may be another one of Rasmussens victims. They were buried together at a local Allenstown cemetery with a donated gravestone that read: Here lies the mortal remains known only to God of a woman aged 23-33 and a girl child aged 8-10. Thanks for your support. There Were Two Barrels And Four Bodies In 1985, a hunter came across a steel drum containing the bodies of a woman between the ages of 23 and 33 and a girl between the ages of 5 and 11. As the Los Angeles Times reported, Rasmussen had spent time in jail in the early 1990s for theft under the name Robert Evans. Public DomainTerry Peder Rasmussens 2002 mugshot after his arrest for the murder of his girlfriend Eunsoon Jun. [15], The fourth victim's identity is not yet known, but investigators stated that through advanced DNA testing they could confirm the child was Rasmussen's. Honeychurch was last seen at her mothers house in La Puente, California, around Thanksgiving in 1978. Honeychurch was last seen in La Puente, California, on Thanksgiving day that year. My father's been outta my life since I was, like, 6 or 7, she said. More than 30 years later, is it possible to get to the truth - and who gets to tell it? She had brown hair and was about 3ft 8in (1.12m) tall. As of June2019[update], the third child remains unidentified, but authorities were able to confirm that Rasmussen was her biological father. The Bear Brook murders (aka the Allenstown Four) are four female American murder victims, discovered in 1985 and 2000, at Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, New Hampshire. Also in the refrigerator, was a unique brand of milk that was only delivered to a certain area that matched up with where Rasmussen had been at the time, Huber said. But only 19-year-old Jason Carroll was convicted. Who could believe him for one second?, Rose said she told him: I want Eunsoon, not you, I want Eunsoon to tell me that she's done with our relationship or I'm going to get the sheriff involved.. During this hunt, one of the brothers noticed an oil barrel while walking down a trail. It was there that she introduced her family to her boyfriend, Terry Rasmussen, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. Homicide", "Four Unidentified Allenstown Homicide Victims", "Allenstown, NH murder victims identified after nearly 40 years", "New rendering released for unidentified girl found in barrel in Allenstown", Original digital reconstruction of middle child, "3 bodies hidden in barrels remained unidentified for decades. [12] On January 26, 2017, authorities publicly announced that Evans was a suspect in the disappearance of Denise Beaudin and the Bear Brook murders. It's just kind of sitting out in the woods., The brother that found the barrel went over to it and tried to lift the top of the barrel and when he did that, we were hit with a smell that was absolutely putrid. Click here to donate $20. Her age at the time of death was estimated to be 23 to 33. At the same time, Barbara Rae-Venter, a genetic genealogist, independently used the victims DNA to identify them in a cutting-edge technique that required using autosomal DNA, which is found inside the cell nucleus. Why are you with him? Hodges said. Then, learn about Ivan Milat, Australias most violent serial killer. By 2017, Bob Evans was dead, and investigators believed he had killed Denise Beaudin after they left New Hampshire. David Salamon and Paula Hodges are Honeychurch's siblings. The family was comprised of Sarah McWaters, an infant, her older sister Marie Elizabeth Vaughn, and their mother Marlyse Honeychurch. He had an unofficial backyard marriage ceremony to Eunsoon Jun in Richmond that same year, though no marriage certificates were ever filed. His own taped confession. He abandoned her in 1986 and was subsequently imprisoned on child abandonment charges. New Hampshire murders: Authorities identify three of the four - CNN To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here. In 2000, 15 years after the first barrel was discovered, Sarahs body was found inside a separate barrel at Bear Brook State Park along with the body of an unknown child. When alternate versions are told by lawyers and podcasters as part of a mounting effort to free Jason Carroll from prison and clear his name.