3 Of 'Allenstown 4' In NH Bear Brook Park Murders Identified

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office and New Hampshire State Police on Thursday announced three of the four "Allenstown 4" murder victims were identified after their bodies were discovered in Bear Brook State Park. A woman and a child were found inside a barrel in the park in 1985. In 2000, two girls were also found inside a barrel in the park. Since then, investigators have been trying to find out who they were. Another missing persons case involving Denise Beaudin of Manchester, who went missing in 1981, led investigators to connect the cases.

The woman — the mother of two of the children discovered in the barrels — was identified as Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch of La Puenta, California. Honeychurch was dating a man in California named Terry Rasmussen, a serial killer believed to have murdered the Allenstown 4, Beaudin and another woman in California.

Honeychurch had two daughters by two different men at the time, according to investigators. After a fight with her mother in November 1978, she left with Rasmussen and her two daughters. Those girls — Marie Elizabeth Vaughn, the oldest daughter, and Sarah Lynn McWaters, identified as the youngest daughter — are two of the three girls discovered in Allenstown.

A third girl — the middle child — has not been identified beyond being related to Rasmussen.

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Beaudin went missing in 1981 from Manchester and has not been seen since.

As part of the investigation, state police learned Rasmussen had reappeared in California in 1984 where he tried to give away Beaudin's daughter. He was brought up on a child endangerment charge and eluded police for many years. Rasmussen was arrested on a murder charge and convicted of killing and dismembering his then-wife, Eunsoon Jun. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, where he died in 2010.

It is very likely, investigators believe, that Beaudin was murdered sometime between 1981 and 1984.

Investigators also believe that Honeychurch could have possibly been known as "Elizabeth Evans," using her middle name as her first name and also using Rasmussen’s alias (He was known as "Bob Evans" while in Manchester.).

Investigatory Materials

• Timeline of Terry Peder Rasmussen and Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch (.pdf)
• June 6, 2019 Allenstown Homicide Victims Press Briefing (.pdf)

Another missing woman, Denise Daneault, has been missing since June 1980 after leaving a social club in Manchester. It is unknown if the cases are related but investigators have reopened this case and are hoping for a resolution.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office credited forensic evidence, the advancement of technology and the interest of the press and the public for advancing information and solving a number of cold cases in New Hampshire.

Another success story was the identification of Elizabeth Lamotte, missing from Manchester since 1984. Her DNA was matched to a body known as “Tennessee Jane Doe,” who was unidentified for more than 33 years.

Law enforcement continues to ask for help finding the mother of the middle child, Rasmussen’s daughter, in order to identify who she is.

The Allenstown 4 case is the subject of the NHPR podcast "Bear Brook":