Summary — "The Middle Child" (NHPR)

Overview

This episode covers the long-running Bear Brook cold-case investigation and the recent breakthroughs produced by forensic genetic genealogy (the DNA Doe Project and law enforcement). Reporter Diane Klopfer revisits family interviews (including her mother, Flita Zadikas) and the emotional process of discovering how her estranged father, Terry Peter Rasmussen (who used many aliases), ties into multiple murders and unidentified remains found decades earlier. The episode explains how genealogists traced one of the youngest victims — long called Bearbrook Jane Doe — to a living family member and confirmed her identity as Rhea Rasmussen (aka “Pepper Reed”), and it reviews the limits of DNA identification going forward.

Key points & main takeaways

• The Bear Brook case (decades-old) involved multiple unidentified human remains found in barrels; investigators now believe serial killer Terry Peter Rasmussen is responsible for at least five murders.
• Through genetic genealogy work, investigators identified four previously unidentified victims: Marlise Honeychurch, Marie Vaughan, Sarah McWatters, and Rhea Rasmussen (the youngest).
• A crucial clue in the identification of Rhea came from an obituary listing a daughter named “Pepper Reed” without location details — the absence of records (marriage, social media, etc.) became corroborating evidence.
• Genealogists used family-tree reconstruction and targeted document searches, ultimately finding a birth certificate listing Terry Rasmussen as Rhea’s father; DNA testing of living relatives confirmed the ID.
• “Non-paternity events” (where the father on paper is not the biological father) complicated the genealogical search, making paper records and DNA sometimes inconsistent.
• Officials held a press conference to announce the identifications; the mood was emotional and focused on bringing names and some closure to families.
• Investigators stress that genetic genealogy can identify remains but cannot by itself locate living missing persons or fully reconstruct a perpetrator’s movements — public tips are still needed to fill timeline gaps (particularly Rasmussen’s whereabouts in the mid-1970s to mid-1980s).
• There are procedural and legal barriers in record searches (e.g., limitations on searching state vital records by a father’s name without court orders), complicating earlier investigative options.

Notable quotes & insights

• “The lack of evidence is evidence.” — Reflection on how disappearing paper trails and absent records were themselves clues.
• “This investigation is not over... genetic genealogy has done all it can in this case. The technology can only identify human remains, not find missing people.” — Emphasizes the limits of current tools and the need for public assistance.
• Family statement read at the press conference: “Your relentless determination has brought our family together and we cannot thank you all enough for keeping Rhea close in your hearts when our family could not.”
• Matthew Waterfield (DNA Doe Project) on naming victims: identification has a practical impact (closure for families) and a deeper emotional significance.

Topics discussed

• Bear Brook murders and historical discovery of remains
• Personal family interviews and the emotional toll of learning painful truths (Diane’s interview with her mother)
• Forensic genetic genealogy methods (DNA Doe Project): building family trees from DNA matches, searching obituaries, and tracing branches forward
• Challenges: non-paternity events, missing or inconsistent records, legal limitations on record searches
• Specific identification story of “Pepper Reed” → Rhea Rasmussen and the documentary/document trail that led to the confirmation
• Official responses: state press conference with prosecutors, state police, and DNA investigators
• Remaining gaps: unresolved missing persons (e.g., Denise Bowden), incomplete timeline of Terry Rasmussen’s movements, and appeals for public tips

Action items & recommendations

• For anyone with information relevant to the Bear Brook case (e.g., knowledge of Terry Rasmussen’s whereabouts, information on Denise Bowden or Pepper Reed in Texas in the late 1970s), contact New Hampshire State Police or the Attorney General’s office — tips may help close remaining gaps.
• Recognize the limits of genetic genealogy: while it can name remains, it still needs corroborating documents and public leads to piece together events and locate missing people.
• If you have family-history gaps or suspect non-paternity events, be aware these can complicate genealogical and investigative efforts; provide as many corroborating documents as possible if you assist investigations.
• Respect survivors’ privacy and trauma: the families asked for space to process; media and public should honor those requests.

Bottom line

This episode documents a major emotional and scientific milestone: decades-old unidentified victims from the Bear Brook murders have been named through painstaking genetic genealogy and investigative work, bringing some closure to families. But investigators caution that the science has limits — public tips and traditional detective work remain essential to answer outstanding questions about victims and the perpetrator’s full timeline.