GORHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE: The family of a Canadian woman who was killed during a hiking trip in New Hampshire has urged the authorities to continue their probe, 21 years after her death. Louise Chaput was found lifeless with multiple stab wounds by police on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2001.
Her corpse was discovered near the Glen Ellis Falls parking lot in Pinkham Notch, approximately two hours north of Concord in the White Mountains. The 52-year-old from Quebec, Canada, had been visiting the Granite State for a scheduled hiking trip in the area.
Louise Chaput last seen alive on November 15, 2001
According to local ABC affiliate WMUR, Chaput was last seen alive on Thursday, November 15, 2001, after arriving at the Joe Dodge Lodge at the Appalachian Mountain Club visitor center. At around 3 pm on that day, the victim reportedly asked a worker at the center for directions to a short hike that supposedly would ensure her return to the lodge by dusk.
The hiker was then apparently directed to a walk around Lost Pond Trail which started across the street from the lodge. However, when she failed to return home on time, her family filed a missing person's report in her name. Tragically, police found her body just days later with multiple stab wounds near the Glen Boulder Trail.
Local law enforcement also discovered her car parked at the Direttissima Trailhead, across the street from the Lost Pond Trailhead.
Although police later said that somebody stole the keys to her car, they did not take the vehicle. Two large backpacks Chaput had brought were also missing but her hiking shoes, water and chocolate remained in the vehicle.
What did Louise Chaput's family say?
Chaput’s family is still seeking justice even after 21 years. "Obviously we understand that there are other cases and it's been 20 years, but still, you know, new eyes, new eyes on the case, maybe a new detective can see something that people didn't didn't pass by or didn't go through," her daughter Constance Chaput-Raby told the outlet.
"Things can change... There is probably someone knowing something in the area and as we know, almost every murderer talks about it to someone. It's such horrible secret to carry."
Police declared Chaput's death to be a case of homicide at that time and claimed all evidence indicated it was a random incident. They did not believe she was attacked by someone she knew.
“It's not in our country, we're not far but it's not our country. It's not our law. It's not our languages," Chaput’s eldest daughter Corenne said.
What did the associate attorney general say?
Jeffrey Strelzin, associate attorney general, told WMUR that as Chaput’s death remains a cold case, they are keeping any information they learn close to their chest. “It’s important in any investigation, especially criminal investigations, for the investigators to have information that’s only known to them," Strelzin explained.
"We want to be able to verify the truthfulness of any information that comes to us later on. And so, if we know something that no one else knows and then a piece of information is given to us later on, it’s essentially almost like a lie detector test. We can tell if that person is being truthful or not," Strelzin added.
No suspect has been named in Louise Chaput's death
While it has been over two decades since Chaput was found dead, no suspect has ever been named in the case. Her family and friends still remember the Canadian woman as full of life and an avid hiker. Chaput was especially a fan of the Mount Washington Valley in the White Mountains.
"She thought it was beautiful,” Constance Chaput-Raby said, adding “She liked it. She liked to hike and maybe it was little exotic as it was another country, another language."
"I think in English, the term 'closure,' which we don't have in French, is very appropriate,” Chaput's friend Marie Pineault told the outlet, adding “It's, you know, you never get your friend back, but at least you know what happened."
Anyone with information regarding Chaput’s death is encouraged to submit a tip to the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit or call the New Hampshire State Police at 800-525-5555.
