CONCORD, N.H. — The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit has identified the final victim in the Bear Brook murders as Rea Rasmussen, bringing closure to a decades-long investigation into one of the state’s most notorious cases.
Born in 1976 in Orange County, California, Rea was the biological daughter of Terry Peder Rasmussen, the man responsible for the murders, and Pepper Reed, who has been missing since the late 1970s. “With Rea Rasmussen’s identification, all four victims now have their names back,” said Attorney General John M. Formella.
The Bear Brook murders involved the discovery of four victims in barrels at Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, New Hampshire. The first barrel, found in 1985, contained an adult woman and a young girl, while a second barrel discovered in 2000 held the remains of two more girls. By 2019, three victims had been identified as Marlyse Honeychurch and her daughters Marie Vaughn and Sarah McWaters. The fourth victim, Rea Rasmussen, remained unidentified until DNA testing and documentary records confirmed her identity on September 5.
Detective Sergeant Christopher N. Elphick of the New Hampshire State Police said, “We never forgot Rea. We never stopped looking. Naming her brings a sense of justice but also reminds us of the unanswered questions that remain.”
The investigation into the disappearance of Pepper Reed remains active as authorities continue to seek information regarding her whereabouts and Terry Rasmussen’s movements during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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