VT VT - Heidi Martin, 16, Hartland, 19 May 1984

Always remembering

New Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
3
Reaction score
5
I am new to this on-line community and am seeking out any information anyone can offer with regards to helping me understand why some unsolved cases are "cold" while others seems to remain active?

Specifically, I was a close friend of Heidi Martin. She was murdered on May 19, 1984 in Hartland, Vermont, at 16 years of age, and her killer has never been identified. I've found her name in a few threads on this forum but the facts (date/year and her age) were off. I am constantly wondering why her murder was not considered part of the "Connecticut River killings" when she was murdered in the same manner (multiple stab wounds and left for dead) in the same area and at the same time as many of the other women who's cases are still listed as active on the Vermont State Police website homicide page.

I've read Phillip Ginsburg's "Shadow of Death" book on the unsolved murders of women in this area during this time period and I just don't understand how Heidi's murder, which was highly publicized, differs from the others in the eyes of law enforcement.

I was 15 at the time and pretty much powerless. I suppose a part of me now wants to know what, if anything, can I do to move this forward? It's a big step for me to even write this post as some of you will understand. I remember everything about the days surrounding her death as if it were yesterday.

Any help, advice or wisdom shared will be appreciated.
 
A r -Welcome to Websleuths. Firstly, please understand the distinction between "active" cases, "closed" cases and "cold" cases. Cold cases are still active, however the detectives responsible for the case believe they have exhausted all avenues of investigation and are basically at a standstill. The investigators are often awaiting new information, new clues, anything which may lead them in a new direction. Closed cases are investigations which have concluded, and the detectives and prosecutors responsible feel no further investigation or action is necessary. In murder cses, this usually implies the party(s) responsible have been identified, apprehended, and prosecuted, or the cause of death has been determined to be accidental or self-inflicted.

Please feel free to share any information you may have in reference to this case. We understand the emotions involved, most of us here have dealt with our own tragedies at some time or have prior law enforecement-related experience (thus being exposed to the emotions of loss over and over). We'll all be more than happy to assist in any way we can.
 
Always remembering said:
I am new to this on-line community and am seeking out any information anyone can offer with regards to helping me understand why some unsolved cases are "cold" while others seems to remain active?

Specifically, I was a close friend of Heidi Martin. She was murdered on May 19, 1984 in Hartland, Vermont, at 16 years of age, and her killer has never been identified. I've found her name in a few threads on this forum but the facts (date/year and her age) were off. I am constantly wondering why her murder was not considered part of the "Connecticut River killings" when she was murdered in the same manner (multiple stab wounds and left for dead) in the same area and at the same time as many of the other women who's cases are still listed as active on the Vermont State Police website homicide page. . .
You might try contacting L.E. responsible for that area and ask them why it was never linked to those other cases. Also if the FBI was ever involved in "Connecticut River killings" you might go to their website and send in an email of your question. Maybe they will tell you and maybe not but its a place to start. Then try the newspaper for that area. And find any reporter named in any reports printed about her and than email or write and ask them what they think about your question.
 
In the meantime here is a new possible person of interest for Connecticut area work.
http://www.waterburyobserver.com/worxcms_published/news_54.shtml
http://www.waterburyobserver.com/worxcms_published/news_51.shtml

This person was active in 1993 and even in 1981.

Edited to add:Not sure it is the same John Regan(There is more than one man by that name - one is a realtor in NH for instance) but I saw a webpage listing him as holding the record for blue gill: Location: the Connecticut River.
http://www.hotspotfishing.com/records/fish-records-Sunfish.asp
 
I appreciate your support. I'm taking baby steps right now. Perhaps I'll work up to a full-blown post outlining the incident. I'm finding it hard to be articulate on this subject.

I greatly appreciate the links and suggestions. I found the courage to contact local LE today via email.

Thank you very much.
 
I think the reason Heidi Martin was never grouped in with the rest of the CT River Valley murders was the fact that police got a confession out of a local guy who later recanted and was acquitted. My guess is they couldn't conclusively link him to any of the earlier deaths and after he changed his tune, the lead kind of evaporated.

For what it's worth, the POI in Heidi's case went on to commit a number of sex crimes in Florida and IMHO was probably guilty of murdering Heidi. His name is pretty easy to find on the internet.
 
Apparently, the POI in Heidi's murder was acquitted after naming a second man as her killer and claiming that he only confessed because he was afraid of this person. The second man, who was older, supposedly had inside knowledge of the crime that he claims he came by as the result of ESP. Curiously enough, there was a POI in the murder of Lynda Moore who also claimed to be psychic. I wonder if these two are the same person.
 
It's telling that the police never went after Sargent. My guess is they probably had no real reason to believe Tallman didn't do it. Either way, it's a shame Heidi's murderer got away with it.
 
I was a kid in the area when this happened, if I remember correctly, Tallman has Down syndrome. The article, linked above, stats "mildly retarded", I just wanted to clarify, as I feel there is a huge difference is these two "labels"
 
I was a kid in the area when this happened, if I remember correctly, Tallman has Down syndrome. The article, linked above, stats "mildly retarded", I just wanted to clarify, as I feel there is a huge difference is these two "labels"

Be that as it may, Tallman went on to offend numerous times in Florida. There's definitely smoke there.
 
I am new to this on-line community and am seeking out any information anyone can offer with regards to helping me understand why some unsolved cases are "cold" while others seems to remain active?

Specifically, I was a close friend of Heidi Martin. She was murdered on May 19, 1984 in Hartland, Vermont, at 16 years of age, and her killer has never been identified. I've found her name in a few threads on this forum but the facts (date/year and her age) were off. I am constantly wondering why her murder was not considered part of the "Connecticut River killings" when she was murdered in the same manner (multiple stab wounds and left for dead) in the same area and at the same time as many of the other women who's cases are still listed as active on the Vermont State Police website homicide page.

I've read Phillip Ginsburg's "Shadow of Death" book on the unsolved murders of women in this area during this time period and I just don't understand how Heidi's murder, which was highly publicized, differs from the others in the eyes of law enforcement.

I was 15 at the time and pretty much powerless. I suppose a part of me now wants to know what, if anything, can I do to move this forward? It's a big step for me to even write this post as some of you will understand. I remember everything about the days surrounding her death as if it were yesterday.

Any help, advice or wisdom shared will be appreciated.







With all the advances in forensics these days I am sure this will be solved. I am a writer, anyone who would like to give me info about who Hedi was as a person and her personal life, What they remember about this case, the investigation or anything in general, feel free to DM me. I am writing a book trying to shine light on unsolved murder in New England.
 
This case popped up on my facebook. I am surprised how little info there is about this case?

Be that as it may, Tallman went on to offend numerous times in Florida. There's definitely smoke there.

Is there sources for this?
 
I live in Hartland, VT...does anyone know if her family still has ties here? Did they move away, did she have siblings? One of the victims of the CT river killer , Barbara Agnew was found on my neighbors property.
 
This case popped up on my facebook. I am surprised how little info there is about this case?



Is there sources for this?
If you do a quick Google search for the guy, his Florida arrest record pops up along with a mugshot.
 
If you do a quick Google search for the guy, his Florida arrest record pops up along with a mugshot.
Oh, that is very strange. When I look up his name I do see what you are talking about but also I see articles where he confesses to killing her but then later takes that back. All the other articles had not mentioned that... hm, interesting. He does seem mighty suspicious.
 
Oh, that is very strange. When I look up his name I do see what you are talking about but also I see articles where he confesses to killing her but then later takes that back. All the other articles had not mentioned that... hm, interesting. He does seem mighty suspicious.

Yes, the whole affair is utterly bizarre. I wish there was more info available, to be honest, because what I HAVE read is bonkers.
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
79
Guests online
2,576
Total visitors
2,655

Forum statistics

Threads
590,013
Messages
17,928,986
Members
228,038
Latest member
shmoozie
Back
Top