CHARLESTOWN, N.H. – Investigators are reopening the cold case of a teenage girl discovered dead on a road nearly 57 years ago.
According to New Hampshire State Police, on the morning of June 11, 1968, 15-year-old Joanne Dunham walked from her home to catch her school bus but never arrived.
Her body was reportedly discovered the next day on a roped-off dirt road in Unity, approximately 5.5 miles from where she was last seen.
An autopsy revealed. Dunham died from asphyxiation.
According to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, investigators have recently reopened the cold case and are “re-examining evidence, conducting new interviews, and pursuing additional leads in an effort to bring answers to Joanne’s family and justice to her case.”
Todd Flanagan, Deputy Chief Investigator with the New Hampshire Department of Justice, reportedly paid a visit to Dunham’s unmarked grave. Her headstone was completed and marked thanks to the assistance of Perry Brothers Monument Company and St. Mary’s Cemetery in Claremont.
In a statement, Flanagan said, “These investigations are not just mechanical exercises; they are heartfelt commitments. This case is more than just solving a crime. It is about supporting Joanne’s family and honoring her memory. She was just 15 years old.
