Every town has its dark secrets, but few are as chilling as the story of Terry Rasmussen, a serial killer who eluded capture for decades by constantly reinventing himself. Known as the “Chameleon Killer,” Rasmussen assumed multiple identities, leaving a trail of victims, many of whom were the very people closest to him. His crimes shocked communities across the United States, particularly in New Hampshire, where his most infamous acts were uncovered.
Early Life: A Facade of Normalcy
Terry Rasmussen was born on December 23, 1943, in Denver, Colorado. His parents were shopkeepers, and by all accounts, his childhood appeared unremarkable. He dropped out of high school in the 10th grade to enlist in the U.S. Navy, serving for six years before being discharged.
After his military service, Rasmussen settled into a seemingly ordinary life. He married, had four children, and worked as an electrician. But beneath the surface, darkness festered. Reports later revealed that he abused his children, even extinguishing a cigarette on his eldest son’s arm. By 1975, his wife left him, taking their children with her.
Freed from familial ties, Rasmussen embarked on a sinister journey, one that involved murder, deception, and a revolving door of aliases.
The Disappearances: A Pattern of Violence
Rasmussen’s crimes followed a disturbing pattern: he targeted women he was in a relationship with and their children.
The First Known Victims: Marlyse Honeychurch and Her Daughters
In 1978, Marlyse Honeychurch and her two daughters, 6-year-old Marie Vaughn and 1-year-old Sarah McWaters, vanished after a Thanksgiving dinner in California. Marlyse had introduced her new boyfriend, “Bob Evans” (one of Rasmussen’s aliases), to her family. Her mother distrusted him, and after an argument, Marlyse and the girls left with Rasmussen, never to be seen again.
Denise Beaudin and Her Daughter
In 1981, another Thanksgiving marked another disappearance. Denise Beaudin, a young mother, was last seen with Rasmussen (then using the name “Bob Evans”) in Manchester, New Hampshire. She was never reported missing because her family assumed she had moved away.
Rasmussen took Denise’s infant daughter, Lisa, and raised her as his own—possibly to appear less suspicious. But in 1986, after a DUI arrest in California (under yet another alias, “Curtis Kimble”), he abandoned 5-year-old Lisa at an RV park. She survived, but Denise’s fate remains unknown.
The Bear Brook Murders: A Grisly Discovery
In November 1985, a hunter in New Hampshire’s Bear Brook State Park stumbled upon a tipped-over 55-gallon drum. Inside were the skeletal remains of a woman (23–33 years old) and a young girl (5–11 years old), both killed by blunt force trauma.
The case went cold until 2000, when another drum was found nearby, containing the remains of two more young girls. DNA testing revealed that one of the girls was related to the woman in the first drum.
Read more: The Twitter Killer: Takahiro Shiraishi
For years, the victims were known only as the “Bear Brook Murders.” Then, in 2019, citizen detectives and genealogists helped crack the case:
- The woman was Marlyse Honeychurch.
- The two older girls were her daughters, Marie and Sarah.
- The fourth victim was Rasmussen’s biological daughter, whose mother has never been found.
The Chameleon’s Downfall
Rasmussen’s luck ran out in 2002 when his then-partner, Eunsoon Jun, disappeared in California. Suspicion fell on him (this time using the alias “Lawrence Vanner”), and investigators found her dismembered remains hidden under kitty litter in their garage.
He was convicted of her murder and sentenced to 15 years to life. While in prison, authorities connected his fingerprints to past aliases, eventually linking him to the Bear Brook killings.
Rasmussen died in prison in 2010 from lung cancer, never facing trial for his other suspected murders.
Unsolved Mysteries
- Denise Beaudin’s fate remains unknown.
- Other possible victims include:
- Lorraine Roisman, a 14-year-old who vanished in 1980.
- Denise Daneault, a 25-year-old who disappeared from a bar.
Despite his death, investigators believe Rasmussen may have had more victims across multiple states.
