True Crime Collection

Bear Brook Murders

On 10th November, 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. Inside were the bodies of an adult female and young girl, wrapped in plastic. Autopsies determined both had died of blunt trauma. The two were buried in an Allenstown cemetery with a tombstone that read: "Here lies the mortal remains known only to God of a woman aged 23-33 and a girl child aged 8-10. Their slain bodies were found on 10th November, 1985, in Bear Brook State Park. May their souls find peace in God's loving care."

On 9th May, 2000, the remains of 2 young girls were found near the first discovery site. These bodies were also in a metal 55-gallon drum, and police believe that all 4 murders occurred at roughly the same time, despite investigators inexplicably missing the 2nd drum in 1985. According to investigators, the reason that it took so long for the 2nd drum to be recovered is that it was located outside the proximity of the initial crime scene. The cause of death for these children was also blunt force trauma. 

The adult, later identified as Honeychurch, was determined to be Caucasian with possible Native American ancestry. Her age at the time of death was estimated to be 23-33. She had curly or wavy brown hair and was between 5ft 2 and 5ft 7 in height. Her teeth showed significant dental work, including multiple fillings and 3 extractions. The 3 girls were thought to also have some Native American heritage; they had light or European-American complexions. 

The girl found with the adult female, later identified as Vaughn, was between 5-11 years old. She had symptoms of pneumonia, a crooked front tooth and a diastema, 2 earrings in each ear, and was between 4ft 3 and 4ft 6 tall. Her hair was wavy and light brown; she had no dental fillings. 

The middle child, currently unidentified, also had a gap between her front teeth and died at an age between 2-4. She had brown hair and was about 3ft 8 tall. She had an overbite, which was probably noticeable. She also may have suffered from anemia. DNA proved this child was fathered by Terry Peder Rasmussen. In February 2020, it was announced that DNA analysis suggested the child was primarily Caucasian, with slight Asian, African, and Native American heritage. The organisation later released an updated version of the child's facial reconstruction. 

The youngest girl, later identified as McWaters, was estimated to be 1-3 years old, had long blond or light brown hair, was between 2ft 1 and 2ft 6 tall, and also had a gap between her front teeth. 

In the early days of the investigation, authorities publicised the case in the United States and some parts of Canada. At least 10 possible identities were ruled out. Despite hundreds of leads, the bodies were not identified. 

In June 2013, new versions of the victims' facial reconstructions were created by the National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children. These versions incorporated their dental information, showing how their teeth could have affected the appearances of their faces. The reconstructions were created in black and white, as their skin tones and eye colours could not be determined. 

In November 2015, the National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children released a 3rd set of reconstructions of the 4 victims at a news conference at the New Hampshire State Attorney General's office. 

In 2014, police announced that DNA profiling had revealed through MtDNA that the woman, and oldest and youngest girls were maternally related. This means that the woman could have been the girls' mother, aunt or older sister. In 2015, the woman was identified as the mother of the 2 girls. 

Other forensic information showed that the woman and children lived together in the Northeastern United States between 2 weeks and 3 months before their deaths. Investigators have concluded the woman and 2 of the children lived in the area where their bodies were found. Advanced forensic testing showed that the 2-4 year old girl probably spent most of her childhood in either the upper Northeast or upper Midwest, perhaps Wisconsin. In 2019, however, it is stated that the nonrelated child most likely originated from Arizona, Texas, California or Oregon, although additional locations cannot be excluded. 

In January 2017, it was announced that Denise Beaudin, who had been missing since 1981, was connected to the murders. Denise disappeared from Manchester, New Hampshire, along with her young daughter and then boyfriend Robert "Bob" Evans. Robert later abandoned a young girl, "Lisa", at a camp ground, and she was found to not be his daughter. Denis was not reported missing until 2016, when her daughter resurfaced alive and well in California after there was more publicity about the murders and Denise's disappearance. The daughter is keeping her name private. 

The National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children subsequently announced that an unidentified man, known by the alias "Robert Evans," was found through DNA to be the father of the middle child. Authorities believed that Robert was the killer of the 4 Bear Brook victims, but did not elaborate. 

Authorities said in 2008 that the Bear Brook woman was not Denise. They also said that "Robert Evans" was a pseudonym and that the man's legal identity was unknown. In 2015 they said that the adult woman at Bear Brook had been identified as the mother of the 2 girls. 

Robert died in prison in December 2010. He had been convicted and sentenced as Robert Evans for the 2002 murder and dismemberment of his wife at the time, Eunsoon Jun, a chemist in California.

In June 2017, police released a video of a police interview of Robert in hopes of finding his true identity. 2 months later, Robert was confirmed as Terrence "Terry" Peder Rasmussen, through Y-DNA testing from a DNA sample contributed by one of his sons from what is believed to be his first marriage. Born in 1943, Terrence was a native of Denver, Colorado. He married in 1969, had 4 children, and lived in Phoenix, Arizona, and Redwood City,  California. His wife left him between 1973 and 1974 and his family last saw him around Christmas 1974. 1 of his sons from this marriage provided the DNA sample that confirmed Terrence as Robert in June 2017. The senior Terrence, known as the Chameleon killer, is believed to have used "at least 5 different aliases in a decades-long run of crimes across the country, including at least 5 homicides, and likely more."

On 6th June, 2019, New Hampshire investigators held a press conference regarding the case and revealed the identities of 3 of the victims. Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch, born 1954, was the mother of Marie Elizabeth Vaughn, born 1971, and Sarah Lynn McWaters, born 1977, all of whom went missing from La Puente, California, around Thanksgiving 1978, while she was dating Terrence. Marlyse had an argument with her mother and left the residence, never contacting her relatives again. Marlyse may have adopted the alias name "Elizabeth Evans" to use in legal documents during May 1980. It is believed that all 4 victims were murdered before 1981, as Terrence was known to have left New Hampshire after this time. 

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. She was born in Hawaiian Gardens, California, when her father was in the Marines. Similar posts also aided in the identifications of the victims. 

Marlyse had previously married Marie's father in June 1971 and divorced by 1974. She married Sarah's father in September 1974, and the 2 were separated by the time she was known to be dating Terrence. The children both went through periods where they were in the custody of their fathers, but Marlyse would later regain guardianship. By October 1978, Sarah's father was seeing another woman and Sarah was presumably in the care of her mother.

Marlyse and Marie's funeral was held in November 2019 in Allenstown, during which they were given a new headstone bearing their names. In attendance were members of Marlyse's family and Terrence's daughter from his first marriage. Sarah was laid to rest in Connecticut, closer to her father's family. 

The 4th victim's identity is not yet known, but investigators stated that through advanced DNA testing they could confirm the child was Terrence's. They have so far been unable to identify who the mother of the child is and whether or not she may still be alive. In February 2020, a new rendering of the 4th victim was released by the National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children and New Hampshire State Police.