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The attorney general’s office and state police are asking for the public’s help in solving the killing of a hiker 10 years ago today.
Louise Chaput, 52, left her home in Quebec to go hiking in the White Mountains when she went missing on Nov. 15, 2001. Her body was found stabbed off a trail 10 days later on Thanksgiving.
The advances in modern forensic science have given investigators new possibilities with evidence that was perceived to be degraded, no longer viable, Peracchi said. We are revisiting all those people that were persons of interest during the initial stages of the investigation.
In an interview with the Portsmouth Herald five years ago, now-retired police detective Mike Leclaire said the murders of Kempton and Little have too many similarities to ignore and that the women were likely murdered by the same killer. He said both women lived alone in ground floor apartments in the downtown area, were regulars at the Ranger Club and Lucas, were studying to be beauticians, considered social and were dating, but didnt have steady boyfriends.
Both had photographs taken of themselves while posing with hopes of modeling opportunities, he said. Both were also beaten to death during autumn months, on a weekend day and in the early morning hours. If it was a serial killer, said Leclair, there may have been a kill before Kempton and/or after Little.
Welcome to Ws ABParsons, thanks for the great local insight!I live/work in Portsmouth and went to that same school. I went about 4 years ago right after it got bought out by a Paul Mitchell school. Having read everything I could find about these cases I haVe some thoughts: although the students went to the school at different times the regular clients were definitely the same. We had a bunch when I went that had been coming to the school for years. I remember being cautioned when I was new to be careful because they’d had problems in the past with clients getting the “wrong idea” and following the girls home. Also the building behind the school was a Salvation Army and we had a bunch of drifter type clients that frequented the Salvation army. I remember someone telling me once “it used to be way worse” I also remember being told the beauty school moved from a different location but I don’t remember when. He first location was closer to macro polo I believe. Walking distance apart from each other though. If any web sleuths have any questions for someone local I’m happy to answer it.
PS the fact that the murders both took place in the fall doesn’t super ring any bells. The state university is about 20 minutes away and Portsmouth is very touristy in the fall with the foliage and apple picking and the Portsmouth Navyyard is a huge submarine naval base. You can walk from Base to downtown very easily and many navy men frequent the town.
No sex assault, both women attended the same beauty school, heads and faces ( a focal point in such schools) smashed?
Could the perp be born female or a trans woman?
imo, speculation.
Here is an article about the murders of Tammy Little and Laura Kempton.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/2002news/10182002/news/29979.htm
I'm from the same area where a number of young nurses were killed. One of them was found just a mile or so past the far edge of my dad's wooded property. Its been locally thought and well speculated, that a man with some significant mental health issues, including multiple personalities, who's mother had been a nurse and father passed under suspicious circumstances was the killer. There was a book written about the murders and included multiple references to the guy that everyone around here thinks did it. Growing up it wasn't uncommon for young ladies, mostly those working in retail type jobs to have stories of their own creepy run ins with the suspected killer during their shifts. He was also well known for his inappropriate attire and things he'd say to women he found particularly attractive. I had wondered if that alone was enough of a reason, or how the "rumors" got started about the possibility of him being the murderer... that was until I read the book for myself and started to look into details of the crimes, that I found there are many things that seem to point his way as the nurse killer in Sullivan county.I ran across this list when I googled "Laura Kempton":
"And this is a list of all the unsolved murders in Vermont and New Hampshire in the last 35 years:
1. Joanne Dunham, Charlestown NH, October 1968
2. Jane Doe, Bedford NH, October 6, 1971
3. Daniel O'Connell, Loudon NH, October 30, 1971
4. Kathy Gloddy, Franklin NH, November 22, 1971
5. Paul Olsen, Madison NH, March 24, 1973
6. James Teta, Rindge NH, August 25, 1973
7. Anne Psardelis/Diane Compagna, Raymond NH, September 29, 1973
8. Domingo Valdes, Pelham NH, June 14, 1974
9. Maurice and Ellen Wilkinson, Center Ossipee, August, 16, 1974
10. David Longfellow, Manchester NH, November 24, 1974
11. James O'Brien, New Boston NH, April 12, 1975
12. Judy Lord, Concord NH, May 20, 1975
13. Madlyn Crouse, Nashua NH, February 27, 1976
14. James Sullivan, Gilmanton NH, February 21, 1977
15. Casmiro Jablonski, Newmarket NH, July 6, 1977
16. Joan Gray Rogers, Hardwick VT, July 15, 1977
17. Shari Lynn Roth, Livermore NH, August 21, 1977
18. Jaclynne Snyder, Lee NH, September 4, 1977
19. Pauline Miller/ Ray Blanchette, Manchester NH, October 24, 1978
20. Cathy Millican, New London NH, October 24, 1978
21. Kenneth Jache, Weare NH, October 14, 1979
22. Mary Elizabeth Critchley, Unity NH, August 9, 1981
23. Yvonne Fine, Concord NH, September 7, 1981
24. Laura Kempton, Portsmouth NH, September 28, 1981
25. Mary Harrison, Winchester NH, October 30, 1981
26. Sylvia Gray, Plainfield NH, May 28, 1982
27. Pamela Brown, Barre VT, July 17, 1982
28. Tammy Little, Portsmouth NH, October 16, 1982
29. Bearnice Courtemanche, Kellyville NH, May 30, 1984
30. Ellen Fried, Kellyville NH, July 20, 1984
31. Eva Morse, Unity NH, July 10, 1985
32. Lynda Moore, Saxtons River VT, April 15, 1986
33. Sarah Hunter, Pawlet VT, July 1986
34. Heidi Martin, Hartland VT, May 1, 1984
35. Steven Hill, Hartland VT/Plainfield NH, (In CT River)July 1986
36. Barbara Agnew, Hartland VT, January 10, 1987
37. Lynn Snyder, Rollinsford NH, April 18, 1987
38. Judith Whitney, Winchester NH, November 8, 1987
39. Patricia Scoville, Stowe VT, 1988 (An arrest was made)
40. Sharon Johnson, Bedford NH, July 28, 1988
41. Pamela Webb, Franconia NH, July 18, 1989
42. Craig Lane, Peterborough NH, January 8, 1989
43. Carrie Moss, New Boston NH, April 24, 1991
44. Stella Bolton, Portsmouth NH, February 16, 1991
45. Rita Roy, Manchester NH, May 20, 1991
46. Theresa Reed, Plymouth NH, September 6, 1991
47. Lisa Begin Wright, Laconia NH, December 18, 1991
48. Cheryl Peters, Morrisville VT, August 9, 1993
49. Angela Ann Blouin, Derby VT, May 30, 1993
50. Mindy West, Manchester NH, October 4, 1998
51. Mary Morales, Vernon VT, March 3, 1999
52. Louise Chaput, Pinkham Notch NH, November 15, 2001
53. Amie Lynn Riley, Manchester NH, August 15, 2003
54. Christina Lunceford, Nashua NH, August 1, 2004"
I have no way of knowing if this is an accurate list or not, but I was struck by how many of these murders occurred in the fall.
Below is a map that goes along with the list, and shows where the crimes occurred. I tried to enlarge it, but couldn't do it.