NJ NJ - Sharon Thor, 15, murdered, Franklin Township, 26 October 1982

Somerset County's Cold Case of the Week for May 11, 2015:

http://thesomersetcountynews.com/20...y-cold-case-of-the-week-sharon-thor-homicide/

Could this have been some sort of revenge against one of Sharon's 4 brothers?
Rbbm. imo, speculation.
Sharon Thor wearing a costume for one of her dance recitals.
(Photo: ~Courtesy of the Thor family
Sharon Thor appeared in a performance of "The Nutcracker" at Plainfield High School in December 1981.
(Photo: ~Courtesy of the Thor family)

No more dancing
Oct 18 2019 Lengthy article.
NJ cold case: Franklin High School student found beaten to death in the woods 37 years ago
"You don't forget. It's sad it's never been resolved. My dad passed never knowing, and my mother feels she might, too, and it kills her. A mother and child is a special bond," said Torrado, adding the family wants to know who is responsible and why his sister was killed.

Sonia believes two people were involved in her daughter's death.

"One person, Sharon would have had a chance. Strong girl, she was strong," she said.

Her daughter possessed a temper which would make her stronger and as the only girl in a family of four boys, she knew how to hold her own, Sonia said."
"I was home and she (Sharon) was home. I was in my room fixing something or putting something away and the phone rang in the kitchen. Sharon answered the phone. She hung up and said to me, ‘Mom, I'll be right back,'"

A neighborhood child reported seeing Sharon getting into a car near her home. Two white men were in the vehicle, the prosecutor's office reported in 2009.

The two men in the vehicle were believed to be in their late teens or early 20s and lived in Franklin, the prosecutor's office reported. The caller and driver of the vehicle have never been identified."

"Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson said Sharon’s case is still being actively investigated by his office.

"We are dedicated to providing resources to cold case investigations and realize the importance of providing closure to the families and justice to the victims. Sharon Thor’s life was cut short and we hope that with the assistance of the public, we can pursue new leads to solve this case,” Robertson said.

A $5,000 reward continues to be offered by the Crime Stoppers of Somerset County for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Sharon’s death.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or via the STOPit app, using access code SOMERSETNJ, which allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos.

Information also can be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and/or Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential. "

Sonia wishes police and prosecutors had done more to find her daughter and her daughter's killer. She says parents of other high school students didn't want their children questioned.

A state medical examiner office autopsy determined Sharon died of a beating. She suffered multiple fractures of her ribs and head as well as internal hemorrhaging. Investigators believed Sharon may possibly have been sexually abused since her jeans and shirt had been partially removed.

A cinderblock and 2-by-4-inch piece of wood found near her body are believed to have been used to kill her. Sharon may have known the assailants, the prosecutor's office revealed a decade ago.

Sharon’s body and face were so damaged, the funeral home had to turn her body in the casket to hide it, her mother says.

"What a shame. I didn't have problems with anyone, the problem came to me," she said."

So, did anything ever come out of the hearing mentioned in the first article? I tried searching for any follow up but so far have not found anything. Some recent articles do not even mention this development. To me it is strange that prosecutors are going to trial to get DNA and a motion for investigative custody but then nothing.

Hoping DNA can be sent to Othram so that they can identify the two culprits, who knows what else they may have done to others in NJ and maybe elsewhere too? imo, speculation.


Oct 26 2022 rbbm.
Suzanne Russell
''Three days after her disappearance on Oct. 26, 1982, Sharon’s body was found in a wooded area off a dirt road not far from the family's John E. Busch Avenue home. An autopsy revealed she had been dead since around 6:30 p.m. the day she disappeared.

A neighborhood child reported seeing Sharon getting into a car near her home. Two men were in the vehicle, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office reported in 2009. The two men were believed to be in their late teens or early 20s and lived in Franklin, the prosecutor's office said. The caller and driver of the vehicle have never been identified.''


Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said the investigation into the murder of Sharon Thor remains an active homicide investigation by the Major Crimes Unit.

“On the 40th Anniversary of the senseless homicide of Sharon Thor, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office expresses their deepest condolences to the surviving family members. Investigators have never stopped investigating Sharon’s murder and will continue to do so with the hopes that someone in the public will come forward with any information that can assist investigators with any new leads to solve this case,” the prosecutor said.''

''Sonia Thor also believed her daughter, who was strong growing up in a family with four boys, was attacked by two people, because she would have been able to fend off just one person.''

''Sharon, who was wearing blue jeans, sneakers, a gold chain necklace with a charm and red-striped sweater, ran out of the house without her purse or brush – two things she never left home without – into a waiting car down the street, according to news reports.''

''Anyone with information about Sharon Thor’s murder is urged to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or via the STOPit app, using access code SOMERSETNJ, which allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos.

''Information also can be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and/or Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.''

This sounds like a solveable case....she most likely knew her killers and it was probably not a planned murder. The description provided is awefully sparse, even if the witness was a child, the color and size or type of vehicle should be known. Franklin TWP was a small town back then, if the culprits were locals it is baffling this has been unsolved for so long.

tilomagnet said:

This sounds like a solveable case....she most likely knew her killers and it was probably not a planned murder. The description provided is awefully sparse, even if the witness was a child, the color and size or type of vehicle should be known. Franklin TWP was a small town back then, if the culprits were locals it is baffling this has been unsolved for so long.

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I know that there was a "potential suspect" and also there was a hearing concerning DNA etc. A judge didn't show to the hearing and I have found nothing about the suspect, DNA or hearing since. The suspect even had a lawyer. This leads me to believe that one of two things (or both) is happening. They know who did it and are working toward enough of a case to go to trial ( my problem with this is that the egos of some of these prosecutors get in the way and they won't go to trial unless the case is a slam dunk for fear of blemishing their record). Or, the potential suspect is someone with enough political connections that Judges are no showing hearings and investigations are being influenced. JMO. I Googled Sharon Ransavage, the lawyer for this "potential suspect". I wonder if anyone has asked her about the case or the suspects name in recent times? It is odd that in all these years a name hasn't surfaced.

2020

I'm new here(first post)and I have been wanting to post about this case for a week and a half.

I didn't know about this case until 6-9 months ago when I was surfing through the internet and I saw a Wicked Deeds Episode" on youtube about it. I live about 20-25 minutes away from Franklin Twp, NJ(Somerset County.) I do think sometimes about this case at times during the last 6-9 months. I turned 3 years old in 1982 which was about 2 weeks after Sharon's death.

See here is my take or questions on this case:

Why did Sharon get in the car with these 2 guys as she had a dance class coming up at 6:00 and she ran outside at 5:30pm? It just doesn't make sense to me. What I find intriguing about when she got into the car was she got into the front passenger seat and one the guys was in the back seat behind her. Her Mom said that Sharon was strong and could take on(fight I think) one guy but not 2. I do wonder if these 2 guys knew that or they just let Sharon in the front passenger seat because she was a woman.

Why was the phone call so hard to trace that Sharon took before she went outside? I do wonder if the phone call was made at a pay phone(yes they existed) at that hotel off the Easton Ave/I-287 loop that was there for so long? Today the land that used to be the hotel is a Quick Chek and a senior living center. Could the phone call could have been made at the Exxon Station or that strip mall that used to house the A&P on the corner of Easton Ave and Cedar Grove Lane? From my understanding the 2 guys in the car came quickly to meet Sharon shortly after the phone call was made.

My other question would be where did she meet these 2 guys that she went in the car with? I didn't seem like the Thor family knew them at all and Sharon was surprised to hear from at least one of them via the phone call. I do wonder if she met these 2 guys at one of them big strip malls on Easton Ave(Village Plaza, or Rutgers Plaza.) If she met these guys at one of those Easton Ave Strip Malls there had to be people with her that saw these 1 or 2 guys. I mean she gave at least one of them her home phone number. The exception being if she walked to one of those strip malls by herself which is probably a 20-25 minute walk. Also, she was known to get into cars with people she knew. I forgot also too there is a strip mall a little down from Rutgers Plaza which has the Boston Market and IHOP(formely Ponderosa 1980's era) and little stores in the Strip Mall behind it. I'm just trying to unravel everything in this post having to do with this case or maybe just throw out scenarios.I do think its fact though Sharon did go to at least 1 of them Strip Malls during her life. Her mom went out and looked for her at least 1 of those strip malls when she first went missing.

Another note about that day was that it was 60 degrees and sunset was at 6:02 pm. Yes I looked it up.

Finally, the murder weapons or objects were left at the scene. In my opinion the killer or Killer(s) got scared as maybe there was somebody maybe walking by or a car was going past. I know the area was a popular hangout for teens even though there was a "no trespassing" sign on that property which was or is still owned by a utility company I think.

I will modify the post if I went too far with the strip mall theory thing given my opinion about the detailed location or location(s) I gave.

I don't get too much into non-family deaths but I live by Franklin twp and its been 40 years. Its time for the case to be solved.

tilomagnet said:

This sounds like a solveable case....she most likely knew her killers and it was probably not a planned murder. The description provided is awefully sparse, even if the witness was a child, the color and size or type of vehicle should be known. Franklin TWP was a small town back then, if the culprits were locals it is baffling this has been unsolved for so long.

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Yes I don't think it was a planned murder either.

Maybe the kids view was blocked by something or he was just really wasn't paying attention that well. I did read somewhere that the car might have been an older car or a sports car because of the mufflers sound. The thing is if the 2 guys were in their early 20's at the time and lived in Franklin Twp. and they had already graduated Franklin High School they would have been hard to track down at that time since they weren't school mates of Sharon's.

Franklin Twp Population 1980: 31,358
Franklin Twp Population 2022(estimated) 68,578

I just thought about this(well 2 hours ago) if there are serial numbers on the murder weapons(the2x4 and the cinder block) you can probably find out where the killer or killer(s) lived in 1982. Usually people buy things from stores that are local to them. Either that or the Killer or Killer(s) could have worked for a construction company in 1982.

In my opinion the way the murder took place was I think 1 of the 2 guys made unwanted advances towards Sharon or she wanted to go home. Sharon fought back more than the guy thought she ever would. In a fit of rage the guy killed her with both the 2x4 and the cinder block. I do believe one of the two guys in the car was an innocent bystander if at the murder scene.

Also the car its very hard for somebody to remember because it was 40 years ago. Alot of people have died, or gotten older and moved to Florida, Georgia or The Jersey Shore since then. Some probably have stayed around the Middlesex and Somerset County area since 1982 that may have seen this car back then but memories fade.

Chris M said:

Yes I don't think it was a planned murder either.

Maybe the kids view was blocked by something or he was just really wasn't paying attention that well. I did read somewhere that the car might have been an older car or a sports car because of the mufflers sound. The thing is if the 2 guys were in their early 20's at the time and lived in Franklin Twp. and they had already graduated Franklin High School they would have been hard to track down at that time since they weren't school mates of Sharon's.

Franklin Twp Population 1980: 31,358
Franklin Twp Population 2022(estimated) 68,578

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Welcome to Ws @Chris M, wonderful post with much to consider, it is very helpful to have a local on thread!

dotr said:

Welcome to Ws @Chris M, wonderful post with much to consider, it is very helpful to have a local on thread!

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Yeah I am trying to throw ideas out there about the case to see if somebody stumbles on this thread and remembers anything. I want to help by posting here and do what I can.

Another thought of mine is high school yearbooks from Franklin Twp. and other bordering towns(Piscataway, Bound Brook, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, South Brunswick, Hillsborough, and maybe Manville or Bridgewater.) I should note High School Students that live in South Bound Brook go to Bound Brook High School. The killer or Killer(s) were not that far removed from High School in 1982. Maybe High School Year Books from 1978-1982 might tell who the killer or Killer(s) are. Also, October 1982 runs with the 1982-1983 school year so they could have graduated High School in June 1982 or at least one of these guys may have. Of course looking at yearbooks is not optional for me. I'm just throwing out ideas. Anyways, I should conclude there was never any forensic face drawings of these 2 guys faces and nor do we have height(s) or a build type(s)(slender, average, muscular, or heavy.) All we now are these 2 guys were white or at least 1 of them was. I know the kid who was playing outside of the house he lived in didn't get a very good look at the 2 guys in the car.

I also find it odd that she met up with these 2 guys on a Tuesday which was October 26th. Usually you start hanging out with friends maybe later in the week like Thursday, Friday, or a Saturday unless its a friend who lives nearby.

To go into detail about one of my posts a couple days ago Sharon might have met at least 1 of the guys in McDonalds or Domino's Pizza(if it was there at the in 1982) in Village Plaza on Easton Ave. The Domino's Pizza later turned into a Pizza Hut and I think last time I went in that strip mall it might have been for rent but I'm not sure. She could have met either of the guys at Burger King or Rutgers Cinema in Rutgers Plaza on Easton Ave. The Cinema shut down maybe a couple decades ago and now is a Stop&Shop. The Burger King closed down and moved down to Rt 27 in Franklin Twp. I remember when it was a Hardee's for a short time. Maybe she might have met 1 of the guys in Colonial Park in Franklin Twp. or the park in New Brunswick across from St. Peters Hospital in New Brunswick on Easton Ave by the Franklin Twp. border.

I just read an article where they said 85 people were interviewed in Sharon's murder case in the first week of the investigation. Some parents of students from Franklin HS did not allow their kids to be interviewed I have heard though at the time from other articles I have read.

I keep going back to post #1. What happened to the request for DNA from the individual in question? Was there another trial? It just seems weird that the police wanted to hold the suspect in investigative custody and go to court to get a DNA sample ( why not do it the clandestine way off a coffee cup etc.?). One would think that, whomever this suspect is, the police thought they were on the right trail. I guess one could surmise that they eventually did a DNA test and it came back as not a match, but why no follow up to the original article ( is it possible the results etc. could have been suppressed by the judge at the suspects request once the DNA was found to not be a match?).

I know Sharon's mom searched for Sharon after Sharon went missing. Sharon's mom mainly focused on looking for her at her friends houses and stores in strip malls off of Easton Ave. I do wonder if anybody saw Sharon after she got in the car with the 2 guys besides the neighboring young kid(at the time.) Did Sharon go to that property with the 2 guys that was owned by a utility company off of the road she lived on(John E. Busch Ave) to hang out? We know that's where she was killed but I wonder if she was there for a long period time. Could she have gone(with the 2 guys)to one of the D&R Canal Park locks off of Easton Ave by I-287 on the South Bound Brook/Franklin Twp. Border or the lock in the back of DeMott Lane in Franklin Twp.? It was 60 degrees at that time of day but 60 degrees with the canal next to you doesn't feel like 60 degrees .It would be kind of chilly to hang out at one of the D&R Canal Park locks at that time of year. Usually its just fisherman at that time of year I think that are in the D&R Canal Park. There aren't too many that are walking the towpath that runs along the canal at that time of year I don't think.

rob525 said:

I know that there was a "potential suspect" and also there was a hearing concerning DNA etc. A judge didn't show to the hearing and I have found nothing about the suspect, DNA or hearing since. The suspect even had a lawyer. This leads me to believe that one of two things (or both) is happening. They know who did it and are working toward enough of a case to go to trial ( my problem with this is that the egos of some of these prosecutors get in the way and they won't go to trial unless the case is a slam dunk for fear of blemishing their record). Or, the potential suspect is someone with enough political connections that Judges are no showing hearings and investigations are being influenced. JMO. I Googled Sharon Ransavage, the lawyer for this "potential suspect". I wonder if anyone has asked her about the case or the suspects name in recent times? It is odd that in all these years a name hasn't surfaced.

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Yeah I have been thinking about that but maybe in some sort of other way I do wonder if the killer or killer(s) slipped up one day and told somebody about the murder.

I just thought about another point to bring up about this case. I wonder when police were interviewing Sharon's circle of friends(ones they had access too) wether Sharon had talked about any guys that she had met in a dating type of interest way to her friends maybe up to 1-1/2 month prior of her death. I do wonder also wether Sharon had confided in maybe up to 2 of her former dance classmates that she was close too at the former Neva Mccrimmon Dance School in Bound Brook wether she had any met guys in a dating interest way as well in the 1-1/2 month prior to her death.

I will post something else tommorow.

There is a 'Change petition on line asking for the case to be reopened.
Started
February 9, 2023

''Justice for the Thor Family: Reopen the 40 year old cold case of Sharon M. Thor of NJ''​