New Hampshire authorities have identified the fourth victim in the decades-old Bear Brook murders case as the daughter of a suspected serial killer whom some have dubbed the “Chameleon Killer.”
In 1985, a woman and her daughter were found dead in barrels in Bear Brook State Park, about 10 miles outside Concord. Fifteen years later, another set of barrels was found holding the bodies of two girls who were believed to have been killed in the 1970s or the 1980s, according to the New Hampshire Justice Department.
Three of the victims were identified in 2019 as Marlyse Honeychurch and her daughters, Marie Vaughn and Sarah McWaters.
The fourth victim is now known to be Rea Rasmussen, daughter of Terry Peder Rasmussen, authorities said. The DNA Doe Project used both DNA and genealogy research to find her parents and help identify her.
New Hampshire State Police Detective Sgt. Christopher N. Elphick said Sunday that officials “never forgot” about Rea.
“This case has passed through the hands of many investigators, all of whom felt the weight of speaking for those who no longer could,” Elphick said. “Naming her brings a sense of justice but also reminds us of the unanswered questions that remain.”
Terry Peder Rasmussen has been tied to multiple deaths and convicted of one. He died in prison in 2010 before he was ever connected to the Bear Brook deaths.
Authorities said in 2017 that they were looking for Robert “Bob” Evans in connection with the murders and also into the disappearance of Denise Beaudin, 23, in 1981. But DNA testing revealed that “Bob Evans” was actually Rasmussen.
Rasmussen was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Eunsoon Jun, 45, a chemist, in 2003, in California. He confessed to dismembering Jun after he married her in a backyard ceremony.
Jun’s cousin, Elaine Ramos, once said that she felt a chill come over her the first time she met Rasmussen.
“I couldn’t even reach out my hand to shake his hand,” Ramos said. “He was the creepiest person ever.”
At the time, Rasmussen was going as “Larry Vanner.” He is also believed to have used the aliases Curtis Kimball and Gordon Jensen.
Some have dubbed Rasmussen the “Chameleon Killer,” believing he moved around the country and changed his identity to avoid being caught.
Rea’s mother was identified as Pepper Reed, a woman who has been missing since the late 1970s. New Hampshire authorities believe Reed could be one of Rasmussen’s victims.
New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella said the case has haunted the state for decades.
“This development is the result of extraordinary perseverance by law enforcement, forensic experts, and our Cold Case Unit,” Formella said. “Our commitment to uncovering the truth, no matter how long it takes, remains unwavering. We continue to seek answers about the disappearance of Pepper Reed.”
Source link
