Connecticut River Valley Killer: History and Key Facts

The Connecticut River Valley Killer, also known as the Valley Killer, is the moniker for an unidentified American serial killer believed to be responsible for at least seven murders of women in the Connecticut River Valley region of New England between 1978 and 1988.

In 1985 and 1986, the skeletal remains of two victims were recovered within one thousand feet (300 m) of each other in a wooded area in Kelleyville, New Hampshire; forensic examination indicated multiple stab wounds. Between the recovery of the first and second bodies, a 36-year-old woman was fatally stabbed in a frenzied attack inside her home in Saxtons River, Vermont. Ten days later, the remains of a third missing woman were found, also bearing evidence of stab wounds. At this point, investigators began examining prior homicides in the area and found two previous cases, in 1978 and 1981, further reinforcing the presence of a serial killer.

At the peak of the investigation, and after additional homicides and one non-fatal attack, investigators noted similarities in modus operandi, often-used dump sites and specific wound patterns that linked many of the murders, suggesting a common perpetrator. The murders apparently stopped in 1988 after a woman survived an encounter with the killer.

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