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1987 Cold Case:
The Murder of 21-year-old Lucy P. Carman
East Hartford, CT – August 31, 1987: The Mysterious Death of Lucy Carman
The last time Mrs. L. Carman saw her daughter, 21-year-old Lucy, she was sitting on the concrete steps of their Church Street home, speaking with a bicyclist. In a sudden, tragic turn, Lucy vanished without a trace.
Two weeks later, on September 15, 1987, family members discovered Lucy's body, face down, in a channel of the nearby Hockanum River. The case was swiftly treated as a homicide, with police canvassing numerous neighbors and conducting over 70 interviews. They gathered critical evidence, including weather data, medical records, and aerial photographs, resulting in a case file spanning over 300 pages. Despite their efforts, no arrests were made.
By 2007, marking the 20th anniversary of Lucy's death, investigators remained hopeful that new information might surface. Lieutenant Curt Stoldt, from the department’s detective bureau, expressed the continued hope of eliciting new leads. "That is always my hope—to pique people's interest, to jog someone's memory," he remarked at the time.
Known for her cheerful demeanor, Lucy, affectionately called “Little Lucy,” was a vibrant young woman. Standing at 5'3" and weighing 115 pounds, she was often seen strolling along Church Street and Burnside Avenue, or sitting on her front steps, greeting passersby with a wave and a smile. “She really loved life,” her mother recalled, noting her daughter’s infectious optimism. Even in moments of quiet reflection, Lucy found joy in simple things, such as observing the “dancing” branches outside their kitchen window.
Despite a challenging childhood, which included three open-heart surgeries, Lucy’s resilient spirit shone brightly. However, psychological difficulties and likely exposure to abuse cast a shadow over her life. Her father, Charles W. Carman Jr., had a violent history, including the fatal beating of Lucy’s younger sister in 1958. Though Charles Carman was incarcerated at the time of Lucy's death, his actions were believed to have impacted Lucy’s mental and emotional well-being.
As police followed up on potential leads, multiple individuals came under scrutiny, but no clear suspect emerged. One man, described in case files as a "possible suspect," had a criminal record and had recently dated Lucy. He had also told his sister prior to the discovery of Lucy's body that she was dead, and failed a lie detector test. Yet, despite these troubling circumstances, investigators could not link him to the crime.
Other interviews included an ex-boyfriend with whom Lucy had lived, and an anonymous letter from an inmate accusing a man of assaulting Lucy. This man allegedly pushed Lucy to the ground after she refused his sexual advances, causing her to hit her head. While he denied the allegations, police were unable to verify the claim, and no charges were filed.
In 1997, Lieutenant Stoldt revisited the case, following up on additional leads. He spoke to a man who confirmed he had once biked to visit Lucy, but the individual’s mental state made it impossible to pursue an arrest warrant. A report of the interview, however, is missing from the case file.
Despite years of investigation and multiple interviews, police were never able to build a solid case. “There were too many suspects,” said Mark Simmons, a retired sergeant who worked on the case. “It’s difficult to weed out the dead ends.”
The absence of physical evidence further complicated the investigation. Lucy’s body had been partially decomposed by the time it was discovered, and the water from the sluiceway had washed away potential forensic evidence. Investigators concluded that the Hockanum River was not the location of the crime, but rather where the body had been moved post-mortem.
One peculiar discovery at the scene was Lucy's neatly folded clothes and untied shoes, found 47 feet from her body. Medical examiners determined the cause of death was head trauma, but the manner of death remained undetermined.
Over the years, various leads were explored, but conflicting testimonies and a lack of concrete evidence prevented authorities from solving the case. Bruce Nease, a former detective, conducted interviews with individuals who had not been previously questioned, but no new information emerged.
Her mother, Mrs. Lucy Carman, passed away in 2018, never knowing who was responsible for her daughter’s death.
The East Hartford Police Department continues to seek information related to Lucy Carman’s murder. Anyone with relevant information is urged to come forward.
If you have any information about the murder of Lucy Carman, please contact the East Hartford Police Department at (860) 528-4401.
For more details about Lucy’s case, listen to the Crossing the Line podcast:
Who Murdered Lucy Carman
Sources:
The Hartford Courant
FOX61
Facebook: ColdCasesReopened
The Murder of 21-year-old Lucy P. Carman
East Hartford, CT – August 31, 1987: The Mysterious Death of Lucy Carman
The last time Mrs. L. Carman saw her daughter, 21-year-old Lucy, she was sitting on the concrete steps of their Church Street home, speaking with a bicyclist. In a sudden, tragic turn, Lucy vanished without a trace.
Two weeks later, on September 15, 1987, family members discovered Lucy's body, face down, in a channel of the nearby Hockanum River. The case was swiftly treated as a homicide, with police canvassing numerous neighbors and conducting over 70 interviews. They gathered critical evidence, including weather data, medical records, and aerial photographs, resulting in a case file spanning over 300 pages. Despite their efforts, no arrests were made.
By 2007, marking the 20th anniversary of Lucy's death, investigators remained hopeful that new information might surface. Lieutenant Curt Stoldt, from the department’s detective bureau, expressed the continued hope of eliciting new leads. "That is always my hope—to pique people's interest, to jog someone's memory," he remarked at the time.
Known for her cheerful demeanor, Lucy, affectionately called “Little Lucy,” was a vibrant young woman. Standing at 5'3" and weighing 115 pounds, she was often seen strolling along Church Street and Burnside Avenue, or sitting on her front steps, greeting passersby with a wave and a smile. “She really loved life,” her mother recalled, noting her daughter’s infectious optimism. Even in moments of quiet reflection, Lucy found joy in simple things, such as observing the “dancing” branches outside their kitchen window.
Despite a challenging childhood, which included three open-heart surgeries, Lucy’s resilient spirit shone brightly. However, psychological difficulties and likely exposure to abuse cast a shadow over her life. Her father, Charles W. Carman Jr., had a violent history, including the fatal beating of Lucy’s younger sister in 1958. Though Charles Carman was incarcerated at the time of Lucy's death, his actions were believed to have impacted Lucy’s mental and emotional well-being.
As police followed up on potential leads, multiple individuals came under scrutiny, but no clear suspect emerged. One man, described in case files as a "possible suspect," had a criminal record and had recently dated Lucy. He had also told his sister prior to the discovery of Lucy's body that she was dead, and failed a lie detector test. Yet, despite these troubling circumstances, investigators could not link him to the crime.
Other interviews included an ex-boyfriend with whom Lucy had lived, and an anonymous letter from an inmate accusing a man of assaulting Lucy. This man allegedly pushed Lucy to the ground after she refused his sexual advances, causing her to hit her head. While he denied the allegations, police were unable to verify the claim, and no charges were filed.
In 1997, Lieutenant Stoldt revisited the case, following up on additional leads. He spoke to a man who confirmed he had once biked to visit Lucy, but the individual’s mental state made it impossible to pursue an arrest warrant. A report of the interview, however, is missing from the case file.
Despite years of investigation and multiple interviews, police were never able to build a solid case. “There were too many suspects,” said Mark Simmons, a retired sergeant who worked on the case. “It’s difficult to weed out the dead ends.”
The absence of physical evidence further complicated the investigation. Lucy’s body had been partially decomposed by the time it was discovered, and the water from the sluiceway had washed away potential forensic evidence. Investigators concluded that the Hockanum River was not the location of the crime, but rather where the body had been moved post-mortem.
One peculiar discovery at the scene was Lucy's neatly folded clothes and untied shoes, found 47 feet from her body. Medical examiners determined the cause of death was head trauma, but the manner of death remained undetermined.
Over the years, various leads were explored, but conflicting testimonies and a lack of concrete evidence prevented authorities from solving the case. Bruce Nease, a former detective, conducted interviews with individuals who had not been previously questioned, but no new information emerged.
Her mother, Mrs. Lucy Carman, passed away in 2018, never knowing who was responsible for her daughter’s death.
The East Hartford Police Department continues to seek information related to Lucy Carman’s murder. Anyone with relevant information is urged to come forward.
If you have any information about the murder of Lucy Carman, please contact the East Hartford Police Department at (860) 528-4401.
For more details about Lucy’s case, listen to the Crossing the Line podcast:
Who Murdered Lucy Carman
Sources:
The Hartford Courant
FOX61
Facebook: ColdCasesReopened
