NH NH - Laura Kempton, 23, & Tammy Little, 20, Portsmouth, Sept 1981 & Oct 1982

I'm from the same area where a number of young nurses were killed. One of them was found just a mile or so past the far edge of my dad's wooded property. Its been locally thought and well speculated, that a man with some significant mental health issues, including multiple personalities, who's mother had been a nurse and father passed under suspicious circumstances was the killer. There was a book written about the murders and included multiple references to the guy that everyone around here thinks did it. Growing up it wasn't uncommon for young ladies, mostly those working in retail type jobs to have stories of their own creepy run ins with the suspected killer during their shifts. He was also well known for his inappropriate attire and things he'd say to women he found particularly attractive. I had wondered if that alone was enough of a reason, or how the "rumors" got started about the possibility of him being the murderer... that was until I read the book for myself and started to look into details of the crimes, that I found there are many things that seem to point his way as the nurse killer in Sullivan county.

Good post. If I remember right you mentioned the Connecticut River Killer in another post and I have thought he might be responsible for these murders if he varied his MO between knife attacks and bludgeoning ones;

all about me: Connecticut River Valley Killer
 
This report is about the passing of a Police Officer but the cases of Tammy and Laura get a mention:

Portsmouth mourns passing of retired Police Capt. 'Bill' Mortimer

Longtime friend Nancy Notis said she had the chance to say goodbye, “for now,” to Moritmer when she visited him Wednesday at the Edgewood Centre.

She said she met him when she was a reporter for WBBX 38 years ago when Laura Kempton and Tammy Little were murdered and Mortimer was investigating. Notis said she met him for daily briefings at the old police station and in City Hall and they remained friends since.

“We shared many good times together,” Notis said about Mortimer, who she remembered as fun to be with, humorous and a great dancer.
 
Some random thoughts..

Two murders like Tammy and Laura's that are so eerily similar just up and stop?

Does anyone have a complete timeline for Christopher Wilder? Being an internet detective during quarantine, so apologies if this is spam.... but Wilder had a constant MO for "beauty queens", younger women, etc... often offering to take their pictures and promote a modeling career.

There is a gap during '81 and '82 in his timeline between his 1980 abduction attempt in Beverly MA to his 1984 spree that began in Florida.... I have found that he went to Australia to visit his parents "late" in 1982, but cannot locate exact dates. If later implies November/December this would be a valid gap and perhaps an impulse decision after the '81 and '82 murders. Additionally while in Australia he committed a crime.. abduction on promise of photos/modeling career. I cannot find any information to confirm his whereabouts during this gap and he does have a varying MO in regards to the act, but not the victim.

A lot of oddities... history of being in MA/NH... father was in the Navy (any time in Portsmouth??)... dubbed the Beauty Queen Killer and all his victims are similar to Tammy & Laura... was captured in Colebrook, NH 1984 where he died.

Christopher Wilder - Wikipedia
 
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Some random thoughts..
.... I have found that he went to Australia to visit his parents "late" in 1982, but cannot locate exact dates. If later implies November/December this would be a valid gap

According to this video I found on here (linked at bottom) he went to Australia December 6th 1982. Would fit timeline perfectly. Also states he was on 5 year probation at the time down in FL, but Wilder was known to travel, travel fast and drive.

Some examples of possible quick travel between FL and North East:

-Shari Lynne Ball is likened, but not actually proven, to be the doing of Wilder. She went missing and FL and the body was found in NY.
-1980 attempted abduction in Beverly, MA (cannot find anything that pinpoints where lived at this time... but appears to possibly be Florida?)
-His final 1984 spree was all over.

I found some of the other Wilder posts on here and I'm sure others may have better knowledge to his timeline /etc. Not sure If I am being far-fetched? Someone on this thread said that sexual assault was not involved, but another source I was reading from just stated it wasn't released a long with a lot of other details.

minute 16 second 12
 
laurakempton.jpg

Laura Kempton, 23

tammylittle.jpg

Tammy Little, 20
 
I live/work in Portsmouth and went to that same school. I went about 4 years ago right after it got bought out by a Paul Mitchell school. Having read everything I could find about these cases I haVe some thoughts: although the students went to the school at different times the regular clients were definitely the same. We had a bunch when I went that had been coming to the school for years. I remember being cautioned when I was new to be careful because they’d had problems in the past with clients getting the “wrong idea” and following the girls home. Also the building behind the school was a Salvation Army and we had a bunch of drifter type clients that frequented the Salvation army. I remember someone telling me once “it used to be way worse” I also remember being told the beauty school moved from a different location but I don’t remember when. He first location was closer to macro polo I believe. Walking distance apart from each other though. If any web sleuths have any questions for someone local I’m happy to answer it.

PS the fact that the murders both took place in the fall doesn’t super ring any bells. The state university is about 20 minutes away and Portsmouth is very touristy in the fall with the foliage and apple picking and the Portsmouth Navyyard is a huge submarine naval base. You can walk from Base to downtown very easily and many navy men frequent the town.

Are you familiar with any updates from the Portsmouth Police Department on either of these cases? I am also local to Portsmouth.
 
Did you ever receive a response from the Portsmouth Police Department?
No, but I did begin sleuthing this case again recently. So far I haven’t learned anything new, but I’ll be sure to post any new info I might find.
 
Unsolved Homicides
''Tammy Little October 1982

On Tuesday, October 19, 1982, Tammy Little was found murdered in her apartment located at 315 Maplewood Ave. in Portsmouth NH. The autopsy conducted by the New Hampshire Medical Examiner determined Tammy Little died as a result of massive head injuries. The 20-year-old female lived at 315 Maplewood Ave. and was a student at the Portsmouth Beauty School.
unsolved%20homicide%20tammy%20little_3.jpg

Tammy Little
unsolved%20homicide%20tammy%20little%202.jpg

Tammy Little
unsolved%20homicide%20315%20maplewood.jpg

Laura Kempton September 1981
On Monday, September 28, 1981 at 9:30am, the body of Laura Kempton, 23 years old, was found murdered in her apartment located at 20 Chapel Street in Portsmouth NH. The autopsy conducted by the NH Medical Examiner reported Ms. Kempton died of massive head trauma, consistent with being struck by a blunt object, causing contusions and lacerations of the brain. Ms. Kempton was a student at the Portsmouth Beauty School and was employed at Macro Polo, Inc. and Karen’s Ice Cream Parlor.''
Laura Kempton
unsolved%20homicide%20laura%20kempton%202.jpg

Laura Kempton
unsolved%20homicide%2020%20chapel.jpg
 
Hello!
I have recently made an Instagram account to shead more light on these cases. I am trying to find out more information on Tammy little's case, for example who found her? Where was the last place she was seen. And if she was working somewhere. I would like to get out as much information as possible to maybe jog someones memory. If anyone has any tips or ideas please let me know.

Thank you.
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Hello!
I have recently made an Instagram account to shead more light on these cases. I am trying to find out more information on Tammy little's case, for example who found her? Where was the last place she was seen. And if she was working somewhere. I would like to get out as much information as possible to maybe jog someones memory. If anyone has any tips or ideas please let me know.

Thank you.
Login • Instagram
Welcome to Ws NHTrueCrime!
 
I recently posted on this forum: https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...2-murdered-portsmouth-nh-4-sept-1977.399391/p

While I think there are several flaws with linking this third case with the other two, I still think that this case could be related. I pointed out some flaws and possibilities in that forum. I think that the Snyder case has received not nearly enough attention... feel free to take a crack at it, there are only three posts.

Regardless, I've been fascinated by the Beauty School Murders since I learned of them last year. I think it's time to organize and do what we can to solve them. Has anyone worked seriously on this case, or is there not enough info out. I think a good place to start would be a map of the victim's movements leading up to the crimes. Also, was there DNA evidence? If so, would there not already be a link between the killer identified previously? The Florida guy?

All that said, how can we push this case (s) forward?
 
No, but I did begin sleuthing this case again recently. So far I haven’t learned anything new, but I’ll be sure to post any new info I might find.

This is the latest video I can find reporting on the murders. It is old at this point, but has some useful information such as the shear number of names named in the case. It would be interesting to re-interview people who lived in the area at the time.
 
I had never seen the video above before. I noticed that video is from 10 years ago. Was that new information given that her mom found her or has that always been public since her death? They have always told who found Laura but never anything about Tammy.

Does anyone know if Tammy's body was found in the bathtub? Also were her fingernails removed?
 
I had never seen the video above before. I noticed that video is from 10 years ago. Was that new information given that her mom found her or has that always been public since her death? They have always told who found Laura but never anything about Tammy.

Does anyone know if Tammy's body was found in the bathtub? Also were her fingernails removed?
These kinds of details are not available, I believe. I worked in Portsmouth earlier this year and spoke with some people who have been around town for awhile.

One of the owners of where I worked said that she knows a woman, who was nearly a third victim. I don't remember all the details, but the woman came home and either saw or heard something suspicious. She left immediately and later it was found either suspicious items or signs of a break in.

I know that these details are sketchy, but the police do know about this incident and believe it to have been an attempt by the killer. I will update more here when I speak to the owner again and change things which are incorrect.
 
FWIW. I don’t believe the Portsmouth murders are connected to the Connecticut River Valley killer. It is thought there are approximately seven slayings attributed to him, where the women were severely stabbed and their bodies deposited in wooded areas.
Also, Portsmouth in the eighties was a dangerous place to hang out. It’s much more safe now that they took most of the rowdier clubs out. Too much fighting and drugs, especially cocaine.
 
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That testing, in addition to further investigation and DNA testing in 2023, helped investigators conclude that Ronney James Lee was responsible for Kempton’s death, the release said.

Lee died in 2005 at the age of 45 due to acute cocaine intoxication. He was 21 when Kempton was killed, the attorney general said.

If Lee were still alive, authorities would have sought charges of first-degree murder against him, Formella said.

The DNA samples that helped link Lee to the case were found on Kempton’s body, a pillowcase and cigarette butt left at the scene, according to an investigative report from the attorney general
 

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