A 20-Year Mystery Unravels: NH Cold Case Unit Seeks Answers in Rea Rasmussen's Tragic Death

Twenty years. Two decades of unanswered questions, of a family yearning for truth, and of a mystery that has finally begun to unravel. The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit, in collaboration with the New Hampshire State Police and the Attorney General's Office, has announced renewed efforts in the suspicious death investigation of Rea Rasmussen, whose remains, first discovered in 2003, were positively identified just last year.

Rea Rasmussen was only 23 years old when she vanished from Hooksett, New Hampshire, in 2003.

Tragically, in that same year, human remains were recovered from the Merrimack River in Bedford. For two decades, those remains remained a poignant, unidentified puzzle, a nameless victim in a cold case file.

The breakthrough came in 2023, thanks to significant advancements in DNA identification technology.

Forensic experts were able to extract and analyze enough genetic material to finally give a name to the unknown, confirming that the remains belonged to Rea Rasmussen. This identification, while providing some clarity, only deepened the urgency of the investigation into how she came to be in the river.

Investigators from the Cold Case Unit are treating Rasmussen's death as suspicious.

They are meticulously reviewing all available evidence, re-interviewing witnesses, and exploring every lead to piece together the events that led to her tragic demise. The passage of time has not diminished their commitment to finding answers and securing justice.

Now, authorities are making a heartfelt appeal to the public for assistance.

They believe someone out there holds a crucial piece of information, a memory, or an observation that could illuminate this dark chapter. Even the smallest detail, perhaps dismissed as insignificant years ago, could be the key to solving this enduring mystery.

Anyone with information regarding Rea Rasmussen's disappearance or death is strongly encouraged to contact the New Hampshire State Police Cold Case Unit.

Your tip, no matter how minor it may seem, could provide critical insight and help bring long-awaited closure and justice for Rea and her grieving family.