Dark Downeast - The Murder of Shari Lynn Roth (New Hampshire)

Episode Date: June 6, 2024

When Shari Lynn Roth left her apartment in North Conway, New Hampshire for a short afternoon hike to one of her favorite spots among the White Mountain National Forest, what should’ve been a peaceful retreat turned into a fateful encounter with a still unknown predator. Several theories have been floated since that August afternoon in 1977, but none have proven to be the truth about what happened more than four decades ago. If you have information about the murder of Shari Lynn Roth, or about the cases of Jaclyn Snyder and Catherine Millican also discussed in this episode, please contact the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit at [phone], by email [e-mail], or leave a tip via the form.Don't forget to check out this week's episode of Park Predators  where Delia D'Ambra  covers another case from from New Hampshire! View source material and photos for this episode at: darkdowneast.com/sharilynnroth Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.Follow @darkdowneast on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTokTo suggest a case visit darkdowneast.com/submit-case

When Shari Lynn Roth left her apartment in North Conway, New Hampshire for a short afternoon hike to one of her favorite spots in the White Mountain National Forest, what should have been a peaceful retreat turned into a fateful encounter with a still unknown predator. Several theories have been floated since that August afternoon in 1977, but none have proven to be the truth about what happened more than four decades ago. When I heard my friend and fellow investigative journalist Delia D'Ambro was covering a New England case on her podcast, Park Predators, this week, it got me thinking about other stories set in the state and national parks of this region. So on both shows, you'll hear about two unrelated New Hampshire cases, one with a resolution,

and one, this one, still waiting for answers. I'm Kylie Lowe, and this is the case of Shari Lynn Roth on Dark Down East. It was Sunday afternoon, August 21st, 1977, and 22-year-old Shari Lynn Roth had just left the apartment she shared with two roommates in North Conway, New Hampshire, setting off for a short solo hike in the White Mountain National Forest. According to Greg Melville's reporting for the New Hampshire Union Leader, Shari had only lived in the Mount Washington Valley area for about nine months, but she immersed herself in everything the region had to offer—the hiking, skiing, biking, canoeing, and other outdoor activities— while also doing what she could

to strengthen the community she was part of. Shari had a heart for service and had dedicated her young adult life to helping others. She grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and then went on to study at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. During her college years, she volunteered as a counselor working with women in a Massachusetts prison. Joanne Durbart writes for the Middlesex News that one of the women Shari got to know at the prison was pregnant, and Shari volunteered to take care of the woman's child once she gave birth until she was released. Shari's parents did not agree with the idea, so Shari instead helped to find someone else who could care for the woman's baby, and then helped that same woman attend college following the completion of her sentence.

According to Durbort's reporting, the woman named her baby Shari. It was no surprise that Shari planned to continue on this path of service to others as a career. First, though, after graduating from UMass, she fueled her adventurous spirit with an opportunity working out west at the Olympic National Park in Washington State for the summer. She moved back to New England once the season was over, during the late fall of 1976. In December of that year, a person by the same name put a classified ad in the Mount Washington Valley Mountaineer paper. It read, quote, Wanted. Would like to share a house or apartment with others involved with art, music, photography, etc. Please call Shari Roth, end quote. Shari eventually found a place with two other women

in North Conway. Shari worked a few gigs, waiting tables, and then a job in a factory when she first came to the Valley, but she was eager to return to counseling. She was the first to apply for an open position at the Mount Washington Valley Women's Health Clinic and quickly landed the job. She soon became the full-time director for the clinic. Not stopping there, Shari and some friends also opened a drop-in clinic for kids and teens in the area and hoped to start a task force to help survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. It was clear that Shari was passionate about helping others through counseling, both as a professional in the field and as a friend. Everyone who spoke about Shari told of

some sort of selfless act of kindness she showed them. She was the listening ear that people turned to for advice. Shari was level-headed and compassionate and supportive. Shari's other passions included photography and being in nature. During the summer of 1977, she was in the process of training an assistant to lighten her workload. But in the rare moments when she wasn't working with clients or counseling kids, Shari loved to hike with friends and solo, and she often brought along her camera to capture the stunning landscape that is the White Mountain National Forest. The rugged, expansive wilderness of the White Mountain National Forest makes up the heart of New Hampshire. Managed with care by the Guardians of the Forest, the U.S. Forest Service, this

breathtaking sanctuary stands as a testament to the beauty and resilience of nature. Towering peaks pierce the sky, their snow-capped summits veiled in mist, while lush forests blanket the valleys below with pines, hemlocks, and spruces, all lining up around cascading waterfalls and hidden gorges as if the trees themselves are ready to dive in for a swim. That August afternoon, when she left her apartment, Shari was headed to Sawyer Pond, a small body of water nestled within the White Mountain National Forest. This picturesque destination offers serene natural beauty and tranquil surroundings, and it's a popular spot for hikers, swimmers, nature enthusiasts, and photographers.

Hiking along the Sawyer Pond Trail, Shari would have meandered through a dense forest of towering trees with occasional glimpses of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The just-over-three-mile trail follows a gentle incline, gradually leading towards the calm waters of Sawyer Pond. It's a relatively unchallenging hike, meaning that a skilled and confident hiker like Shari should have returned home after a few hours at most. She was scheduled to volunteer at the drop-in clinic at 7 p.m. Sunday night, and it's not something she would have missed. But as the sun sank lower in the sky and Shari failed to return, her roommates got more and more nervous. Even the most picturesque of places, like the White Mountain National Forest,

can get dangerous after dark. With dense tree coverage and little light in such a rural area, the forest is almost pitch black. Trails typically easy to navigate during the day become confusing labyrinths, and then the predators come out. Gloria Poliquin and Greg Melville report for the New Hampshire Union Leader that one of Shari's roommates contacted local Conway police that same night to report that she hadn't made it back from her hike. Police issued an attempt to locate, and New Hampshire State Police were also notified to be on the lookout for a 5'8 woman with short

brown hair and blue eyes, as well as her vehicle, a Saab. Reports vary here, but sometime in the next three days, possibly the very next day, Monday, a state police trooper found Shari's car in a parking lot in Livermore, off Route 302 near one entrance to the Sawyer Pond trailhead. A volunteer search party of about 200 people accompanied officials from the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Forest Service, New Hampshire Fish and Game, and the local North Conway Rescue Squad into the woods surrounding that parking lot and the popular hiking trail. The first two days of searching were fruitless,

but the third day revealed a heartbreaking discovery not far from the well-worn path to Sawyer Pond. Shari's nude body was found by a volunteer searcher around 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 24th. She was laying only 40 or 50 feet from the trail near the halfway point to the pond. It was clear that Shari's death was the result of a homicide. The autopsy found that Shari died as the result of asphyxiation due to strangulation and was likely killed in the same place she was found sometime in the afternoon on Sunday, the day she left for her hike. There's also evidence to suggest Shari was sexually assaulted, but investigators would

not or could not confirm this detail at the time. And though investigators said they were searching the location surrounding her body and carefully examining the area for any clues, police didn't elaborate on what other evidence, if any, was found at the scene. I don't know if her clothing was still at the scene either. With her body exposed to the elements for several days, it meant that vulnerable evidence was likely already degraded. Any potential witnesses in the area during those first few days were long gone. But nevertheless, the investigation into Shari's murder began with an urgency. Locals wanted to know their mountain home was safe, while hikers and other visitors

hoped they'd soon feel confident venturing out onto the trails alone once again. Shari's car, which had been impounded since the state trooper found it in the trailhead parking lot, was analyzed for prints and other potential evidence. Meanwhile, investigators asked that anyone who was in the area of the Cancamagus Highway between that past Saturday, August 20th and the day she was found, Wednesday the 24th, to contact New Hampshire State Police. No detail was considered inconsequential. The response to

that public appeal was strong, according to the Attorney General's office, yet nothing solid had developed from the calls that came in during the first week of the investigation. By September 7th, though, police had a more specific request for information. The union leader reports that the Attorney General's office was hoping to speak to the occupants of a red Volkswagen Beetle with New Hampshire plates that was seen parked near the Sawyer Pond Trail around 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 21st, the day Shari was believed to be murdered. The people in the VW Bug were not suspects, but investigators believed they could have critical info that might be helpful to the case. That search for the red Volkswagen and its occupants continued for a few weeks, but a month after Shari's murder, investigators still hadn't located the car owner or anyone else connected to it. A September 21st piece in the reporter newspaper indicates that the

Attorney General's office was reviewing or planning to review the thousands of red Volkswagen Beetles registered in the state, but it would take a while to run through the list. In the meantime, investigators were hoping someone would come forward to share what they saw or heard on the day Shari was killed. Other than asking the public for help and actively searching for the owner and occupants of that red car, details regarding the investigative efforts in Shari's case are scarce. All the AG's office and state police would say was that Shari's case remained active.

However, it seems the resources dedicated to her investigation were taxed, or at least divided in some way, because New Hampshire State Police were in the midst of yet another homicide of a young woman about 100 miles south in Lee. Barbara Strouch reports for the union leader that on September 3rd, 1977, 22-year-old Jacqueline Snyder, who often went by Jackie, arrived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire as part of her trip around New England and New York. She was from Washington state, but had previously studied abroad at the University of Leningrad as part of a Russian language program directed by Dr. Michael Rosenbusch, who had become a friend.

He lived in New Hampshire, so after first stopping in Maine for some sightseeing, Jackie made her way south to visit Dr. Rosenbusch at his home in Portsmouth. After that, she was continuing on to New York City, where she had a few job interviews, and was hoping to land a position with the United Nations. On September 4th, Jackie left Dr. Rosenbush's house in Portsmouth to walk around and explore the historic downtown of Portsmouth, bringing just a backpack with her when she left. She left all her clothing and $500 in traveler's checks behind,

but Jacqueline never came back for her things. Jackie was last seen as late as 4 p.m. that Sunday afternoon in the Strawberry Bank historic area. I don't know who exactly reported Jackie missing or when it started to occur to everyone that something was wrong, but Jackie's father in Washington called Dr. Rosenbush over the course of a few days to ask if he'd heard from Jackie. The professor hadn't

seen her since she left for that walk, and all her stuff was still at his house. Jackie's father also learned that she never arrived for any of the scheduled interviews in New York City. Ten days later, Jackie was considered a missing person, but New Hampshire State Police said they didn't have any reason to believe that foul play was involved with her disappearance. That all changed on September 14th. A maintenance worker was out cleaning up litter on the side of Route 155 in Lee when they discovered a badly decomposed body. Dental records and clothing confirmed that it was the body of Jacqueline Snyder. According to reporting in the Union Leader, although the initial examination indicated Jackie died anywhere from 2 to 10 days before she was found, and likely as the result of

injuries caused by a blunt instrument, that initial cause of death was found to be an error. A more complete autopsy struggled to determine an official cause of death due to the state of decomposition. In fact, there were no overt signs of injury or a struggle, no indication of sexual assault, and it was difficult to determine if she had any bruises at all. Further lab tests were planned in hopes of determining if Jackie died as a result of alcohol poisoning or even carbon monoxide poisoning, but those were considered unlikely. But even lacking an official cause, in light of the unusual circumstances,

Jackie's death was ruled a homicide. Though the murder of Shari Roth and that of Jackie Snyder occurred more than 100 miles apart and the circumstances were notably different, the question of a possible connection between the two began to swirl. However, the AG's office said that they couldn't see, quote, any logical connection between the two cases. New Hampshire State Police appealed to the public for information in Jackie's case, just like they continued to do for Shari's case up north in the mountains. One thing the investigations had in common was that they both went nowhere fast.

Several months and a $2,500 reward later, Jackie's case was still unsolved, with no suspects to speak of. And by the one-year anniversary of Shari's murder, the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office said that all possible leads had been exhausted. There was nowhere else to go unless new information came in. Then in October of 1978, yet another homicide of a woman out for a nature walk in New Hampshire had people wondering once again if there was any connection to the unsolved case of Shari Roth. Around 5.30 p.m. Tuesday, October 24th, 1978, 27-year-old Catherine Milliken left work for the day in North Wilmot, New Hampshire, and decided to take a walk and do some bird watching. According to reporting by the union

leader, Catherine loved photography and was a passionate amateur ornithologist. And that evening, she planned to explore a local nature preserve and bird sanctuary in nearby New London. Later that night, when Catherine didn't make it home, her husband started to worry. Charles Stein reports for the Concord Monitor that a missing persons report was filed the next morning, and by Wednesday night, the brief search for Catherine had ended with a bitter conclusion. Searchers with a bloodhound dog found Catherine's body around 11.30 p.m. in the Chandlerbrook wetland area of Route 11 in New London. An autopsy determined that she died from blood loss as the result of multiple stab wounds to her neck, chest, back, abdomen, and

thighs. Her death was ruled a homicide. During the first days of the investigation into Catherine's murder, police scoured the wooded area surrounding her body for clues but did not come up with a murder weapon. If any other evidence was recovered at the scene, that information has not been released. Police set up roadblocks in hopes of finding drivers who regularly traveled the route and may have seen something they didn't even realize was important to the case. As a result of those efforts, investigators received multiple reports of a light-colored car parked near Catherine's vehicle on the night she was murdered, but no one could recall a license plate number, and police hadn't yet tracked the specific car down to speak with the owner or occupants.

But despite the early attention and momentum, just like the cases of Shari and Jackie, the investigation into Catherine's murder slowed down, and leads dried up until there was nothing left to pursue. All three cases went cold. Over the next few years, Shargi's case was brought back into the public spotlight as the anniversaries of her death came and went. Investigators insisted the case was active, though slower than it first was,

and explained that the lack of evidence meant they really were relying on the public to speak up and help them progress the case closer to answers. If anyone did come forward and shared anything they knew or saw or heard about the day Shari walked into the woods and met her death, it wasn't groundbreaking, case-closing info. From an outside view, it was like the investigation didn't have a single working theory at all. That is, until more than six years later in 1984, when a man wanted for several murders across multiple states found his way to northern New Hampshire.

In the spring of 1984, Christopher Wilder, referred to in some sources as the Beauty Queen Killer, was wanted for at least four homicides and multiple abductions and sexual assaults on at least 11 women and teenage girls in several states. He was listed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list when he was finally tracked down in Colebrook, New Hampshire. According to a UPI report, Christopher Wilder hailed from Australia, where he was a wealthy electrical contractor and hobbyist race car driver. In the United States, though, he was suspected of luring several young women with the promise of a modeling career before abducting, torturing, sexually assaulting,

and killing them and disposing of their bodies on rural roads outside of the towns where he met them. Wilder is suspected in the killing of 33-year-old Beth Dodge in Phelps, New York, the abduction, sexual assault, and attempted murder of 16-year-old Donette Sue Wilt of Dyer, Indiana, and the abduction and stabbing of 16-year-old Tina Marie Recico from California. Sue and Tina survived the attacks and were able to provide valuable information to police about their abductor. According to the Charlie Project, Wilder is also believed to be connected to the disappearance and presumed murders of Rosario Gonzalez and Elizabeth Kenyon in Florida, the murder of Terry Ferguson in Florida, the murder of Colleen Orsborn in Daytona Beach, Florida, the disappearance of Mario Peets in Fort Myers,

Florida, the disappearance of Tammy Lynn Leppert in Rockth, 1984, state police were tipped off that Christopher Wilder was possibly making his way north through New Hampshire towards Canada. That morning, troopers spotted the car Wilder was reported to be driving a stolen gold Pontiac Trans Am parked at a gas station in Colebrook.

A man who matched Christopher Wilder's description was standing outside. According to an Associated Press report in the New York Times, when troopers approached and identified themselves, Christopher reached for a pistol from the glove compartment, and one trooper jumped in after him, trying to wrestle the gun from the suspect's hands. In the scuffle, one shot was fired into Christopher's chest, which exited and hit the trooper. A second shot fired again into Christopher's chest, leaving him mortally wounded. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The trooper, who also sustained a gunshot wound, later recovered at a local hospital.

The hunt for the man suspected in several disappearances and murders of women across the country was over, but the investigation had really just begun. As authorities dug into Christopher Wilder's movements since crossing over the New Hampshire state border that day, they located dozens of items he apparently dumped along his route north. Investigators recovered men's and women's clothing, lengths of electrical cord, receipts, a knife sheath, spent shell casings, gloves, women's jewelry, and numerous other pieces of evidence, even an ID card for one of Wilder's suspected victims. It seemed to the FBI and local authorities like Wilder was ditching

what he could that tied him to his dozens of crimes before attempting to flee into Canada. Colebrook is just about 10 miles to the Canadian border. It was just the beginning of piecing together a full picture of the life this man led, and the investigation revealed that Wilder had ties to New Hampshire

beyond just using it as an escape route that afternoon. According to reporting by Roger Talbot for The Union Leader, Wilder moved to the United States from Australia and settled in Florida, where he ran a business with a partner I'll only refer to by her first name, Vicki. Vicki was from New Hampshire, and during their years working together, they also started up a romantic relationship sometime around 1970, and they eventually moved in together. The couple was known to spend extended periods of time in Vicki's home state. Their relationship ended after about eight years. Wilder's criminal history in the United States, at least the recorded part of it, dates back to 1977. He was charged with first-degree sexual battery in Florida in 1977, but sources note that he was ultimately acquitted of those charges. After that, he was in and out of jail for other offenses, he violated probation,

and was charged with other sexual and violent crimes until he launched into his multi-state spree in 1984. So Wilder's first recorded run-ins with the law here began just before or around the time he and Vicki broke up, which just happened to be the same year Shari was murdered. And Wilder having spent time in New Hampshire during the 70s was of particular interest to New Hampshire State Police, who at the time of Wilder's death in 1984, still had the three unsolved cases of Shari Lynn Roth, Jackie Snyder, and Catherine Milliken on the books. New Hampshire State Police were combing back through the files of the three homicides and comparing notes with investigators in other states to see if Wilder's movements back in 77 and 78 could put him in the area at the time of Shari, Jackie, or Catherine were murdered. During the time Wilder was dating Vicky, they most likely visited the towns of

Haverhill and Bath, where she had family at the time. Those towns are about 60 miles from both Livermore, where Shari was killed, and New London, where Catherine was murdered, and over 130 miles from where Jackie was found dead. So, certainly a drivable distance, but it's unclear if authorities ever narrowed down when exactly Christopher Wilder was previously in New Hampshire. The source material I have access to for this case doesn't mention any other evidence that might tie Wilder to the murders either. To this day, there's never been a proven connection

between the cases of Shari Lynn Roth, Jacqueline Snyder, or Catherine Milliken. However, several theories have circulated through the years in each case, and now Catherine Milliken is considered by some sources to be a confirmed victim of the so-called Connecticut River Valley Killer. The true identity of that suspect has never been confirmed. More than 45 years later, though, the three women are connected by their names remaining on the same list. The New Hampshire Department of Justice cold case units

list of unsolved cases. So then, what happened to Shari Roth? What other possible explanations are there? Could it have been a random opportunistic killing by someone passing through the White Mountain National Forest who managed to disappear without a trace and remain a mysterious haunting figure all these years? Was Sherry just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Back in 1977, several locals, including a colleague of Sherry's, told Greg Melville of the Times Union that the Sawyer Pond area was a, quote, cutthroat place where rowdy motorcycle gangs hung out. They said, quote, I think there was just a bee's nest there and she just ran into it. That is the only thing I can imagine, end quote. I've tried to dig into this, but I just

can't find any solid evidence that Sawyer Pond was a hotbed for dangerous activity in the late 70s. Other deaths have occurred along the trail and in the pond. Accidental deaths, from falls and exposure and drowning. But beyond that, there aren't any reports I could find of violence or crime during that period. In a 1996 story by Lorna Cole-Cahoon for the New Hampshire Union Leader, a former New Hampshire fish and game warden who worked Shari's case said he was sent out onto the Sawyer Pond Trail and others in the area during the early investigation to see who he might encounter along the way. He said, quote, we found very few bad people. On the trail, there are some very dedicated folks, and I've heard nothing since then to change my mind about that, end quote.

Attention on Shari's case has waned in recent decades. The details of her murder resurfaced in 2001 when another hiker, 52-year-old Louise Chaput, was murdered while hiking in Pinkham Notch. I've actually covered her story on Dark Down East, and I'll link it for you in the show description of this episode. Although almost 25 years separated the deaths of Shari and Louise in the New Hampshire outdoors, the similarities in their circumstances once again generated conversation about the unseen dangers for hikers that have nothing to do with the wilderness. My friend and fellow investigative journalist and Audiochuck podcaster Delia D'Ambra has covered dozens of disappearances and deaths that have occurred in state and national parks on her show, Park Predators. Just this week, in fact, Delia is covering another New Hampshire case, the murder of Valerie Ann Blair, whose body was discovered in Odeon State

Park in Rye, New Hampshire. While Valerie's case does have answers, there are numerous others whose stories don't have an ending due to the inherent challenges of investigating crimes committed in these regions. Investigating homicides in locations like the White Mountain National Forest is like playing detective in Mother Nature's own escape room. The dense forests, steep inclines, treacherous terrain, and unpredictable weather conditions can hinder access and impede the collection of vital forensic evidence. The transient nature of visitors to these remote areas adds another layer of complexity, as potential witnesses or suspects may have already left the area by the time authorities

arrive. No matter how many times authorities ask the public to share any information they may have about these cases, those requests could only reach so far, especially back in the 70s. Shari's family launched a website in 2004 in hopes of leveraging the power of the internet to uncover new leads. ShariRoth.com shares articles about Shari's case and includes a tip submission form form promising anonymity to whoever shares what they know. Quote, If this message in any way

jars your memory of that event, or if you have any information at all, or maybe you have heard anything possibly relating to her murder and are afraid to go to the police, please remember and understand you have accessed this site in complete anonymity and you may leave any information you would like in the contact us page, anonymously

and in private, end quote. As a case like Shari's gets older, so too do the potential witnesses who have kept any valuable information to themselves all these years. So you gotta hope that Shari's case, and all the others, are reviewed for new investigative angles, or that any physical evidence is evaluated for analysis with updated forensic technology and DNA testing. We've seen DNA close many long-standing cold cases in recent years, so maybe that is where the breakthrough lies for Shari and Jackie and Catherine and Louise. The loss of Shari Lynn Roth reverberated in the White Mountains, throughout her hometown in Massachusetts, and among the family and friends who loved her most.

Each reflection about her life made clear the light and inspiration she was to everyone who knew her. I love what Shari's uncle told Joanne Durbort of Middlesex News. He said that his niece, Shari, was the only person he ever knew who truly lived fully every day of her entire life. The rabbi who spoke at her funeral encouraged her loved ones to do as Shari would have wanted them to do. Quote,

And we will return to the mountains and the hills and the streams, as would be your wish. And when we do, we will remember you and be grateful for what we shared. End quote. If you have information about the murder of Shari Lynn Roth, or about the cases of Jacqueline Snyder and Catherine Milliken also discussed in this episode, please contact the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit at 603-271-2663, by email at coldcaseunit at dos.nh.gov, or leave a tip via the form linked in the description of this episode. Thank you for listening to Dark Down East.

You can find all source material for this case at darkdowneast.com. Be sure to follow the show on Instagram at darkdowneast. This platform is for the families and friends who have lost their loved ones and for those who are still searching for answers. I'm not about to let those names or their stories get lost with time. I'm Kylie Lowe, and this is Dark Down East. Dark Down East is a production of Kylie Media and Audiocheck. So, what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve?