On June 11, 1968, Joanne Dunham left her mobile home in Charlestown to catch the school bus. Her body would be discovered the next day in a remote area of Unity, more than five miles away.
Now, 57 years later, the New Hampshire Attorney General鈥檚 office says it is reopening the case in an effort to determine who killed Dunham.
鈥淭his case is not just about solving a crime,鈥� said Todd Flanagan, who is leading the state鈥檚 investigation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about standing with Joanne鈥檚 family and honoring her memory. She was only 15 years old.鈥�
Along with re-examining evidence, investigators plan on conducting new interviews and pursuing additional leads, according to a statement. A spokesperson said the agency is 鈥渆xploring new information鈥� but declined to provide details, including if any DNA evidence may be available.
Dunham died from asphyxiation, according to an autopsy done at the time of her death.
As part of the investigation, Flanagan recently visited the unmarked gravesite for Dunham at St. Mary鈥檚 Cemetery in Claremont. Funds from a victim鈥檚 assistance program, along with a donation from a local monument company, were used to erect a new headstone that reads 鈥淭aken too soon, loved forever.鈥�
Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call (800) 525-5555 or email coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov
