What connects two murders and a warning? | Forensic Files

burnt your last piece of toast avocado has gone bad did someone put an empty milk carton back in the fridge
try a grocery delivery from doordash you'll get everything you want delivered when you need it right to your door
you've trusted doordash to deliver your restaurant favorites and now you can get
grocery delivery too with thousands of grocery stores to choose from you'll find the best in your
neighborhood and boost your local economy with each order you'll get exactly what you ordered or
doordash will make it right so sit back and enjoy equality groceries like you picked them yourself
with easy substitutions right in the app and Best in Class customer support doordash delivers groceries exactly how
you want it want even more value you can save on all your grocery and restaurant favorites with a zero dollar
delivery fee on all eligible orders with a dash pass membership get fifty percent off your first
doordash order up to a twenty dollar value when you use code case File POD at checkout
limited time offer terms apply that's fifty percent off up to twenty dollars value no minimum subtotal and
zero delivery fees on your first order when you download the doordash app in the app store and to enter code case
File pod don't forget that's code case File pod for fifty percent off your first order
with doordash [Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any
time you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website [Music]
February of 1960 was a cold month in the New Hampshire city of Manchester and a thick blanket of snow covered the ground
on Tuesday February 2 an employee of Manchester Waterworks headed out to Lake Massabesic to conduct a routine search
of the area the four square mile Lake required close monitoring as it provided the city's
drinking water the employee noticed that one of the drainage holes from the reservoir wasn't
flowing properly they got closer to get a better look and discovered that the drain was partially
blocked by a red bag and a gray snow boot unsure what to make of the items the employee turned them over to the police
around at the same time police received a call from a local couple named Charles
and Irene velarde they were concerned as their 18 year old daughter Sandra hadn't returned home
their previous evening Sandra had spent part of the day at a local Factory where she worked as a
secretary afterwards she visited a library saw a movie and attended a swimming class
around 9pm Sandra boarded a bus to her parents house and disembarked at the closest Stop approximately one mile from
their property the journey required her to walk down a dimly lit path near Lake Massabesic
she never made it home Charles and Irene vallade were shown the red bag and snow boot found stuck in the
drain off Lake Massabesic they confirmed the items belonged to their daughter a large-scale search for Sandra valade
commenced immediately 200 volunteers and 60 troops from the National Guard braved the freezing
conditions to search the heavily wooded area surrounding Lake Massabesic as a patrol plane flew overhead
they were on the lookout for the color red among the snowy landscape as Sandra had been wearing a Scarlet colored
blouse on the night she went missing near the lake Mitsubishi Canal they soon found another item
Sandra's coat the Garment was stained with blood with the droplets littering the surrounding
snow and trailing to a nearby Road by the time Sandra had been missing for nine days warmer weather partially
thought some of the heavy snow that blanketed the area on Wednesday February 10 a motorist was
driving along a quiet Road 10 miles south of Sandra's home all of a sudden he noticed a flash of
scarlet sticking out from a snow bank on the side of the road [Music] [Music] [Music]
the driver pulled over to investigate on the other side of the snow bank just a few feet from the road Sandra valade's
body lay on its side her severely bruised face buried in the snow she still wore the Scarlet blouse but
was naked from the waist down investigators confirmed that Sandra's body had been concealed into a passing
snow plow had Disturbed the snow around her earlier that day the cold conditions had preserved her
body enough for a pathologist to conclude that Sandra had been sexually assaulted violently beaten stabbed and
shot four times with the 22 caliber rifle police believed that Sandra had likely
accepted a lift home from the bus stop she was then taken to the woods where Sandra was attacked and ultimately
killed her body was then dragged to the snow bank where her killer attempted to bury
her he then discarded her belongings into the lake in the Woodland approximately two miles
away investigators uncovered the knife used in the attack it was surrounded by blood stains and
clumps of Sandra's hair the 22 caliber rifle was nowhere to be found police believed the perpetrator was a
local who was familiar with the Quiet back roads where Sandra's body was found on the night Sandra disappeared a
witness had been driving near the canal when they saw a dark-colored Chevrolet car driving along the icy Road
the vehicle swerved into a snow bank where it got stuck momentarily before speeding away
the police appealed for anyone who had seen the Chevy to come forward locals rallied around Charles and Irene
velarde their daughter's funeral was held at a local church on Friday February 12 two
days after her body was found officers attended to observe the large crowd on the lookout for any suspicious
Behavior one officer scanned the cars parked at the church and noticed a black 1952
Chevrolet the owner was a young man who was attending Sandra's funeral the man was questioned in the back seat
of his car before being arrested and taken in for interrogation he was later released without charge
all other owners of black Chevrolets in the area were looked into but cleared of
any involvement the Attorney General called Sandra valade's death a barbaric slaying that
could only be the product of some kind of human monster he promised that no stone would be left
unturned in finding Sandra's killer women and girls of Manchester were warned to stay indoors at night
School dancers and social events were canceled one of Sandra's friends who often
accompanied her from the bus stop home received a phone call the threatening voice on the other line
simply said you're next two weeks after Sandra valade went missing police were no closer to finding
her killer a fifteen hundred dollar reward was offered by members of the community but
it didn't lead to any breakthroughs the one-year anniversary of the murder came and went with no arrests
in February 1961 local authorities published an artist's sketch in the newspaper
this was collated from a couple who had come forward soon after Sandra's body was found to say they had seen a man and
a woman struggling in a car on the night Sandra disappeared the sketch depicted a young man in his
20s with a narrow face and a long hair the day the sketch was published Sandra's mother received a phone call
from an unknown male he told her so you got the picture in the paper huh you're next
five months later in July 20-year-old Ronnie Jenkins not his real name was receiving mental health treatment at the
New Hampshire State Hospital in Manchester Ronnie walked from the hospital grounds
to an unattended office nearby there he stole a 22 caliber rifle and walked nearly a mile to the state prison
aiming the gun at the guard Tower Ronnie fired several shots before dumping the rifle on the street
nobody was injured and Ronnie Jenkins was picked up by police and returned to hospital
when being questioned he made an unexpected confession he killed Sandra valade according to Ronnie he knew Sandra from
school on the night of Monday February 1 1960 he saw her walking home from the bus
stop and pulled over to offer her a lift when Sandra refused Ronnie became Furious
he forced Sandra into his car where she resisted his physical advances enraged Ronnie assaulted Sandra before
shooting her with a stolen gun and dumping her body in the snow investigators probe to Ronnie for more
details but he couldn't offer any they discounted him as a suspect concluding he was a quote
very disturbed individual who had likely made up this story to attract attention
[Music] the homicide investigation was back to square one four years later fourteen-year-old
Manchester teen Pamela Mason was eager to make some extra pocket money in early January 1964 she visited the
local laundromat with her friend Barbara the girls placed a flyer on the bulletin
board inside offering babysitting services to the local community the flyer worked
days later on the afternoon of Monday January 13. Barbara received a call a softly spoken man on the other line
asked if she was available to babysit that afternoon a blizzard was approaching so Barbara
turned the job down on account of the poor weather the man replied I don't blame you it's an awfully bad
night for babysitting Barbara told the man to try asking Pamela Mason instead Pamela's mother Joan answered his call
the man asked to Joan if her daughter was available to babysit for the night he didn't introduce himself but said he
lived up the road and promised to drive Pamela home by 9pm Joan didn't allow Pamela to babysit for
strangers but she agreed that Pamela could do their job as long as the man's wife picked her up
however Pamela had yet to return home from school so Joan told the man to call back a bit later
Joan then got ready for work as a waitress as she left she ran into Pamela and told
her not to leave for the job unless a woman showed up Pamela replied oh mummy don't worry
when Joan returned home from work at 3am Pamela wasn't there she often spent the night at a friend's
house so Joan wasn't overly concerned but when Pamela didn't show up for school the next day Joan became worried
she called the police to report her daughter missing telling them about the babysitting call
she also reported receiving suspicious phone calls in the lead-up to Pamela's disappearance
the details of these calls weren't publicly released a massive search commenced a neighbor had seen a car pull up at the
Mason's house around 5 45 pm Pamela got in but given the looming blizzard they didn't get a good look at
the driver or the vehicle neither Pamela's mother Joan nor her friend Barbara could provide much
information about the mysterious caller Joan described him as sounding between 20 and 30 years old
Barbara had asked for his name but he gave a weird sounding laugh in response police appealed to the public to help
identify the caller but two days passed with no sign of Pamela her mother pleaded for her safe return
saying whoever you are for God's sake don't harm my baby let her come home to me
I have no money but if you want money I'll get it somewhere God let her be alive
on Saturday January 18 five days after Pamela Mason went missing a postal worker was sorting mail when he came
across an unstamped empty envelope written on it were the words P Mason Pine Island amusement park
recognizing the surname from the media coverage the postal worker alerted police
officers visited the abandoned amusement park on the outskirts of Manchester they scoured the area walking among the
rides and empty stalls but there was no sign of the missing teen two days later a truck driver was
traveling along Manchester's Interstate Route 93 when he noticed the blue object
lying in the snow he continued onwards but the following day he passed by again and noticed the
object was still there this time he pulled over to investigate it was a school book belonging to Pamela
Mason in the snow nearby he found examination papers belonging to Pamela as well as
her handbag walking through the melting snow about 20 feet from the road the driver then
discovered Pamela's body she was fully clothed and lying face down an autopsy determined she'd been
savagely beaten before being shot twice in the back of the head with a 22 caliber rifle
she'd also been stabbed four times in the back and once in the chest her throat was cut severing her jugular
vein and windpipe there were no stub wounds on Pamela's clothing which indicated that she'd been
naked when she was attacked and then redressed by her killer her underwear was missing making it
likely that a sexual assault had taken place forensic investigators estimated that
Pamela Mason had been killed between 7 and 10 p.m on the night she went missing it was likely she'd been killed
elsewhere before her body was dumped in the snow on the side of the road the similarities between Pamela's murder
and that of Sandra valade four years earlier were too striking to ignore the two crimes were according to a
medical examiner nearly identical [Music] the Manchester chief of police told the
Associated Press I'm very suspicious it could be the same person involved despite the four-year
interlude locals were urged to be on the lookout for abandoned cars or buildings that
appear to have been recently Disturbed desperate to solve both cases a ten thousand dollar reward for information
was offered by the governor once again residents of Manchester were cloaked in Terror
the principal at Pamela's High School told the students I hope that this terrible tragedy will
be a warning to all of you to be doubly careful in your undertakings 53-year-old Reena Paquette lived on a
farm in Manchester with her husband Arthur into their six children like many other locals she'd been
despondent over the news about Pamela Mason's murder shortly after the teenager's body was
found Reena turned to Arthur and said I think I know who killed Pamela Arthur scoffed how could she know
Rena replied the Killer's mother told me Greener worked at the laundromat where Pamela Mason and her friend Barbara had
advertised to their babysitting services the flyer still remained pinned to the bulletin board
the owner of the laundromat had recently called Rayna to say that she suspected her son 27 year old Edward Coolidge was
responsible for the murders of both Pamela Mason and Sandra valade the two women weren't particularly close
but Rina believed Edward's mother confided in her because she didn't have the heart to turn her son into the
authorities Arthur questioned why Edward's mother would single her out specifically
Rina responded it's because he killed one of the girls in our Pig's diet the pigsty on the Phuket Farm had been
built about half a mile away from The Farmhouse so the residents didn't have to endure the smell
however in recent years the pigsty had been empty Arthur found the idea preposterous
he didn't want Rina to get involved but over the following days Edward coolidge's mother kept calling
she told Rina that Edward was unaccounted for on the night of Pamela's murder Edward visited his mother at the
laundromat often and she believed he had seen pamelized details and copied them down
unable to deal with the mounting pressure Reina Paquette called the local police to pass on what she knew
two detectives visited Rina at her Farm to interview her two days later on Monday February 3 1964
rina's 15 year old son Danny Packard awoke with a fright at 10 am Ina was meant to wake him up early for a
doctor's appointment but Danny had overslept he climbed out of bed and went looking
for his mother The Farmhouse was empty with Denny's father and siblings having left hours
earlier Danny ran outside in the freezing cold and over to the barn there was no sign of his mother anywhere
unsure what to do Danny called his police officer Uncle who lived nearby together they searched the house and
barn when they reached the end of the Barnyard Dany noticed something in the distance
smoke was coming from the back of the Paquette Farm about half a mile away Danny and his uncle trudged through the
thick snow until they reached the area that was on fire The Blaze was coming from the interior
of the pigsty two logs had been propped up against the door to prevent it being opened from the
inside dany's Uncle kicked the logs away and pulled open the door Danny followed ignoring his uncle's
instructions to stay back [Music] in the center of the pig's die Rina Paquette was lying on her back wearing a
thin dress and slippers her body had been set on fire the ground around rina's body was
blackened but the fire hadn't spread to the surrounding building a coroner concluded that Rina had doused
herself in a flammable liquid before lying down in a bed of straw and setting it on fire
[Music] the local newspaper reported that Rina Paquette took her life because she was
depressed over the murders of Pamela Mason and President John F Kennedy who had been assassinated three months
earlier the Attorney General acknowledged that Rena had made a recent tip-off about
Pamela Mason's killer but clarified quote there doesn't appear to be any connection between Mrs paquette's case
and the murder of Pamela Mason there is no basis for any of her suspicions which were made in a rambling
way in numerous telephone calls to the police I am satisfied the evidence that she
suicided is conclusive rayna's family were outraged they refused to believe that Rina was
depressed or would have taken her own life Not only was she a devout Catholic who
considered suicide a sin there were simply too many unanswered questions if Arena had doused herself in flammable
liquid why wasn't a container of liquid found at the scene if she'd voluntarily walked the half
mile from The Farmhouse to the Pigs die why was she only wearing a light dress and a slippers in the heavy snow
furthermore why had two logs been propped up against the outside of the door it would have been impossible for arena
to do this from inside the pig's diet it also seemed highly suspicious that Rina had voiced her concerns about the
Pigs die being a crime scene only to be found to dead there herself days later the piquette family believed that Rina
was already deceased when she was set alight she was found to lying flat on her back
in a position that indicated she wasn't suffering as the Flames burned her body rina's husband Arthur told reporters
I still believe that she was murdered and that her death was definitely connected with the Pamela Mason case
even some of the officers who worked on the case doubted that Rina had killed herself
one later told the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper that they were ordered to forget their suspicions adding
they even threatened to those who questioned the autopsy saying they would be in very deep trouble if they pressed
it further Reina was laid to rest at a simple ceremony attended by her close friends
and family when the pickettes returned to The Farmhouse they noticed another cloud of
smoke rising from the back of their property someone had set the pig's diet on fire
again [Music] casefile will be back shortly thank you for supporting us by listening to this
episode's sponsors one of the biggest hiring challenges for 2023 is standing out to Top Talent job
Seekers want more everything from remote working conditions to an easier application process to a better snapshot
of what your company culture is like so while they're looking for a great job you want a qualified candidate for your
business how can you both find what you're looking for ZipRecruiter zip recruiters technology sends you
great candidates for your job and you can send a personal invite to your top choices to make an impact
and to help your job catch the eye of great candidates ZipRecruiter also offers attention grabbing labels like
urgent training provided remote and more ZipRecruiter makes it easy for candidates to apply for your job instead
of filling out a lengthy application they can apply with just one click get your job noticed by the best and
brightest candidates with the zip recruiter four out of five employers who post on
ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day see for yourself go to this exclusive
web address to tri-zip recruiter for free ziprecruiter.com case File again that's
ziprecruiter.com c-a-s-e-f-i-l-e zip recruiter the smartest way to hire no matter your lifestyle or meal
preferences hellofresh has recipes sure to please everyone at your table from fed and wholesome to veggie or
family friendly you'll always find something even the pickiest eaters will enjoy
Fast and Fresh recipes hellofresh's latest line of meals featuring robust flavors and filling portions are ready
in less than 15 minutes enjoy taste and quality Done Quick with recipes like Falafel powerballs seed
steak and potatoes with bearnaise sauce or Southwest pork and bean burritos I've been a customer of hellofresh long
before they were a sponsor I love that after a hectic day I have everything I need to make a delicious meal
hellofresh gives you easy to follow recipe cards with step-by-step instructions and fresh ingredients in
just the right portions this means I reduce food waste while also enjoying a great variety of meals
that are wholesome and good for me and delivered to my door go to hellofresh.com
casefile 65 and to use code case File 65 for 65 off plus free shipping that's hellofresh.com
casefile 65 and use code case File 65 for 65 off plus free shipping hellofresh America's number one meal kit
thank you for listening to this episode's ads by supporting our sponsors you support casefile to continue to
deliver quality content unbeknown to Arena Paquette her colleague's son Edward Coolidge was
already a person of interest in the Pamela Mason case before she phoned in her concerns
on the night the teenager went missing two men had noticed the 1951 Pontiac Sedan parked around 100 yards from where
Pamela's body was eventually found they approached the vehicle's driver's side window to see if the occupants
needed any help a man was sitting in the driver's seat he appeared nervous and refused to look
at them instead staring straight ahead and saying he didn't need assistance when Pamela Mason's body was discovered
the men reported this incident to the police in case it held significance owners of Pontiac sedans were looked
into leading police to 27 year old Bakery delivery driver Edward Coolidge who was married with an infant daughter
on the night of Pamela's disappearance coolidge's neighbor visited to play cards with his wife
Coolidge was absent from 5 to 11 pm when he returned home his trousers were wet to the knees
Coolidge offered no explanation only saying I feel lousy he then went to have a bath
the following day Coolidge told a co-worker he'd been out having an affair and needed an alibi
when Pamela's body was found Coolidge told the co-worker I really need that alibi now
Edward Coolidge was questioned on Tuesday January 28 1964 just days before investigators visited the Phuket Farm to
speak with Arena when asked about his whereabouts on the night that Pamela Mason went missing
Coolidge first claimed that he'd been out shopping he then changed his Alibi and said he'd
been having an extramarital affair he then changed his story again saying he was out playing cards
police asked Coolidge to hand over any Firearms he owned he presented the officers with three but
a search of his home turned up one more a 22 caliber rifle Edward Coolidge reluctantly participated
in a lie detector test but the results were inconclusive without enough evidence to charge him he
was free to leave the station the following day Reena Paquette was found dead in the pig's diet
investigators refused to entertain their theory that Coolidge could have killed Reina
this was despite the fact that the day before Rina died Coolidge had allegedly cornered her at the laundromat
aware that she told the police of her suspicions the two had a heated argument and Reina left in distress
she also received threatening phone calls in the days before her death although the contents of these calls are
not publicly known [Music] still suspicious of Edward coolidge's potential involvement in Pamela Mason's
murder police conducted a search of his car inside they found a pair of blood-stained underwear confirmed to
belong to Pamela two weeks after Rina paquette's death a granted jury indicted Edward Coolidge
for the abduction and first-degree murder of Pamela Mason given the similarities between the two
cases Coolidge was also indicted to Stair trial for the murder of Sandra valade a ballistics expert confirmed that
bullets used in the attacks against the both Pamela and Cassandra were a 100 match to the 22 caliber rifle taken from
coolidge's home [Music] the trial for Pamela Mason's case began in May 1964. Edward Coolidge took the stand to
Proclaim his innocence when asked why he had changed his Alibi so many times he replied
because I was scared and that's the truth I was so nervous that I did not know what I was saying
it took just over four hours for the all-male jury to find Edward Coolidge guilty
he went visibly pale and began trembling as the verdict was delivered despite being eligible for the death
penalty the judge sentenced Coolidge to life imprisonment outside a crowd of 1 000 Manchester
locals had gathered as Coolidge was led from the courtroom angry citizens called him an animal
screaming that he quote should have been hung a reporter asked if he had anything to
say Coolidge looked at him a cigarette hanging from his mouth and muttered talk to my lawyers
as detailed in the book our little secret by Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoy the Attorney General didn't bring
forward the indictment for Sandra valade's murder when asked why he explained we already got Coolidge for one
no need to get him for two while Edward Coolidge served his life sentence the Paquette family struggled
to come to terms with rina's death and the feeling of Injustice they were convinced that Coolidge had
killed Rina for implicating him in Pamela Mason's murder and that authorities had downplayed it to avoid
further public Hysteria Danny piquette who had found his mother's Burning Body continued to be
haunted by the case he tried to move on with his life eventually enlisting in the military and
marrying a woman named Denise Danny officially adopted Denise's one-year-old daughter Melanie and the
couple went on to have two more children but by 1980 their marriage had fallen apart
Denise prevented Danny from seeing his children which sent him into a fury a physical altercation ensued prompting
Denise to apply for a restraining order and file for divorce Denny violated the restraining order and
threatened to kill Denise at a subsequent hearing he attempted to attack a bailiff
as a result he was sent to hospital to receive mental health treatment there he was questioned extensively
about his mother rina's death and underwent hypnosis to revisit the morning that Rina died
Dany suddenly recalled a previously unknown detail on the morning of Monday February 3 1964
he'd woken to the sound of his mother arguing with someone Dany went to investigate
Reina was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a man in a white uniform the
same kind that Edward Coolidge wore on his Bakery delivery route scared Dany ran back to his room
although there was no evidence to support this repressed memory it strengthened the Phuket family's belief
that Coolidge had killed Raina Dany planned to write to Coolidge in prison and later confront him in person
in the hope he would finally admit his involvement [Music] when Danny was discharged from hospital
in 1981 his ex-wife Denise feared for the safety of herself and her children they fled to Alaska without telling Dany
where they were going and he lost contact with his children altogether things didn't get any easier for Dany
shortly after his release from hospital he was riding a motorbike with his new girlfriend on the back when a car pulled
out in front of them Danny was lucky to walk away with minor injuries but his girlfriend died in the
crash foreign 1985 things had taken a positive turn for Danny Paquette the 36 year old welder by trade was
living in Hooksett a small town less than 10 miles north of Manchester the house was on an 11-acre property
surrounded by Woodland which allowed Dany to run his own welding business and restore cars and motorcycles in his
spare time scrap metal spare tires and other car parts lit at the yard along with large
welded sculptures Danny was a talented artist and passing motorists often pulled over to take
photos of his work he had plans to one day sell his art and donate the money to the Boston
Children's Hospital on the morning of Saturday November 9 1985 Danny walked down to the large shed
on his property to Begin work for the day he was joined by a friend who was conducting some car repairs
and Danny also employed a local 17 year old named Court to help him with odd jobs
at 11AM Court showed up and began helping Danny to weld a metal plate on a bulldozer which was located outside of
the shed Dany then sent Court into the shed to mix some paint while he continued to
work on the bulldozer shortly after court was heading back outside when a large cracking sound
appears to the air Danny Paquette was lying flat on his back in front of the bulldozer his
welding torch still on in his hands panicked Court raced back inside the shed and summoned Danny's friend
thinking that Dany had been electrocuted Court ran to call 9-1-1 Danny's friend then commenced CPR
as he pushed on Danny's chest he noticed the blood beginning to seep out under his hands
he opened Danny's shirt that's when he realized Dany hadn't been electrocuted he'd been shot
an autopsy determined Dany had been killed by a single gunshot wound fired from a distance of at least 200 yards
the bullet had entered through the center of Denny's chest and exited from his left shoulder indicating the shooter
had fired from a lower point to where Dany had been standing either they had a fantastic game and
could hit a very small Target from a great distance or it had been a freak accident
Denny had been killed on the first day of the hunting season the area around his house was a popular
hunting spot there was also a quarry located one mile from Danny's home where Hunters were
known to fire test rounds into a gravel pit this led detectives to consider that
Dany might have been shot accidentally they urged anyone who had been hunting in the area to come forward
a neighbor reported seeing cars parked at a nearby hiking trail on the day Dany was shot and unidentified Footprints
were found leading into the woods 80 yards from Danny's shad but it couldn't be ascertained whether
these held significance to the investigation detectives scoured Danny's property
with such a vast area to cover they were unable to locate the bullet that killed
him without it they had very little to go on coincidentally a local man had been
traveling overhead in a hot air balloon at the exact time Danny was killed and had been filming the journey
he provided police with a videotape giving them a complete bird's eye view of Danny's property
detectives watched the tape with interest no people were visible in the footage and Tall Trees obscured some of the view
as promising as it had seemed the footage offered no leads three days after Danny paquette's death
a telephone maintenance worker received a call out to check the phone lines on the street where Dany lived
some other residents had complained that their lines had been out of service over
the past few days the maintenance worker tested the telephone poles all were working except one which was
positioned directly at the front of Danny's home the maintenance worker climbed to the
top of the pole to get a closer look contained in the plastic covering of the wires was a red and white 270 caliber
bullet a ballistics expert determined it was the bullet that killed Danny Paquette
the red and white coloring was caused by Blood and Bone fragments over the following days detectives
interviewed hunters in the area many of whom turned over their guns for testing none were a match to the bullet
some doubted whether a hunter would choose the area around Denny's house it was surrounded by mud sand and gravel
and wasn't known to attract a much game a conservation officer said I'd be very surprised to find anybody
there hunting if I were going hunting in that general area that's probably the last place I'd
go [Music] it became more likely that dany's death had been the result of a homicide
but 12 days passed with very few leads leaving investigators scratching their heads
Danny's brother Victor Paquette remained optimistic telling the Concord Monitor somehow someday we will have an answer
as to what went down on the day he was killed a year after Danny piquette's death
detectives were no closer to solving his case they followed all sorts of leads but to
no result Victor refused to give up hope he told reporters I've been out there to Danny's property
I've been up and down on my hands and knees I was looking for anything that didn't grow there shell casings a piece
of paper a cigarette butt anything Victor had a growing suspicion that his brother's death was related to the
pigsty fire that killed their mother Reena nearly 20 years earlier in October 1990 he appeared on the
popular television program Unsolved Mysteries to raise his concerns that both Rina and Danny Paquette had been
murdered a ballistics expert at grade saying it was impossible that Dany had been killed
by a stray Bullard while Victor continued to search for answers convicted killer Edward Coolidge
sat in a jail cell his time in prison had been eventful seven years into his life sentence he
appealed his case on the grounds that the search of his vehicle that uncovered Pamela Mason's bloody underwear had been
unconstitutional the search warrant had been signed off by the attorney general who later became
the lead prosecutor at coolidge's murder trial the Constitution maintained that whoever
signed off on the warrant needed to be a neutral and detached Magistrate in June 1971 the Supreme Court agreed
that the search had violated the Fourth Amendment in a landmark decision Edward Coolidge
was awarded a ray trial however several key Witnesses in the Pamela Mason case had since passed away
the state offered Coolidge a deal instead pled guilty to second-degree murder and
they downgrade his life sentence to 25 to 40 years jail including time already served
degrade although Edward Coolidge was still behind bars at the time Danny Paquette
was shot Victor Paquette was convinced he was somehow responsible perhaps Coolidge had taken a hit out on
Danny to keep him quiet about what he saw on the morning his mother was killed after serving 27 years in jail Edward
Coolidge walked free from prison in March 1991 at the age of 53. dianga from the community was so extreme
that Coolidge was released on the condition that he never returned to New Hampshire
Pamela Mason's father told the Boston Globe wherever Coolidge goes I'll find him
then I'll saturate the community so they know what kind of guy he is they say time heals all wounds
that's baloney I am going to make his life as miserable as he has made mine the unsolved mystery segment didn't
generate any worthwhile leads in either of the piquette cases but authorities did agree that rina's body could be
exhumed to allow for another autopsy to be conducted [Music] 27 years had passed since rina's death
and they hoped this would put her family's concerns to rest once and for all it was a Bittersweet moment for Victor
Paquette who told the Associated Press for every member of this family this was an unwanted thing we didn't want to have
to go to this extreme on Wednesday November 13 1991 the Phuket family watched as Rena's coffin was
exhumed from Saint Joseph cemetery convinced further testing would one day be necessary her husband Arthur had
insisted that Rina be placed in a black body bag inside a sealed casket and then
into a vault because of this her remains were still in Fairly good condition however Arthur had since passed away
without receiving any answers about his wife's mysterious death the State medical examiner conducted an
autopsy and compared it to the original findings he agreed that raina's death had been
caused by fire however he believed that Rina was unconscious when her body was satellite
the original autopsy report also contained a detail that rina's family had been unaware of
at the time of her death traces of semen were found on her body rina's husband Arthur was never
questioned to confirm whether the two had been intimate around the time of her death
was it possible that Rina had also been raped the medical examiner found the case
deeply troubling he told the New Hampshire union leader I cannot sustain suicide as a manner of
death I do not see any way this can be called a suicide he changed Arena's official cause of
death to indeterminate the year after Rena Pickett's body was exhumed the Paquette family appeared on
a New Hampshire talk show hosted by local media personality Kathy Burnham they were joined by Richard Baron a
family friend who had paid for Arena's exhumation they reiterated their belief that the
deaths of Rina and Dany were connected and pleaded for anyone with information to come forward
a week later Richard Baron received two Anonymous letters from two different authors
as detailed in our little secret one read in part something has been eating away at me but
I have been afraid to step forward seeing the pain the family is suffering persuaded me to do so
the family is wrong to conclude that Danny paquette's death is connected to his mother's death
case File will be back shortly thank you for supporting us by listening to this episode's sponsors
one of the most exciting things about the new year is that you have no idea what Adventures are in store for you
from new travel experiences to new jobs or picking up new skills there's no better way to prepare for 2023 than by
learning a new language with Babel Babel is the language learning app that sold more than 10 million subscriptions
thanks to Babel's addictively fun and easy bite-sized language lessons you can feel confident no matter where the New
Year takes you case File team member Holly uses Babel to brush up on her Latin American
Spanish she loves the speech recognition technology that helps to improve her accent and pronunciation
and because Babel lessons were created by over 150 language experts and voiced by real native speakers Holly is
learning conversations that are actually useful in real world scenarios Babel Has 14 different languages to
choose from and you only need 10 minutes to complete a lesson you can start having real life conversations in a new
language in as little as three weeks right now get up to 55 off your subscription when you go to babble.com
case File that's babble.com case file for up to 55 off your subscription Babel language for life
in Bakersfield California in 1991 two boys stumbled Upon A grisly Discovery the murdered body of a young woman
in the shadows is the new podcast from wondery plus and casefile presents which follows the ensuing 32-year ordeal to
uncover those responsible for the crime and bring them to justice during the investigation of in the shadows several
individuals revealed a shocking information previously unknown to authorities ultimately this new insight turned
everything on its head the first episode of in the shadows is available wherever you get your podcasts
you can listen to the rest of the series ad free only on wondery Plus join wondery Plus in the wondery app or
on Apple podcasts and take advantage of their seven day free trial stay tuned to hear the trailer at the
end of today's episode thank you for listening to this episode's ads by supporting our sponsors
you support case File to continue to deliver quality content the second letter revealed
I am dumbfounded as to how the case is still unsolved it is a bad example to the many young people who know the facts
about this murder it is common knowledge in Hopkinton that a young man named Eric Windhurst shot
Danny Paquette with his father's 270 rifle Eric Windhurst has misled the police very successfully
it is said that he keeps his friends quiet on his dealings through charm through intimidation and through threats
the New Hampshire State Police went about verifying the accuracy of the letters at the time Danny Paquette was killed
Eric Windhurst had been a 17 year old high school student in Hopkinton North Hampshire
it was a small town with a population of around 4 000 people and are located approximately 15 miles north of dany's
home Eric was a popular and friendly teen with piercing blue eyes and dark wavy hair
he came from a wealthy family who owned property throughout Hopkinton in the years since graduating high
school Eric Windhurst had enlisted in the U.S Marine Corps but he was medically discharged due to being
severely allergic to ant bites he moved to Colorado in 1989 where he was arrested for second-degree burglary
after stealing some cases of beer from a restaurant he received six months probation and a
fine other than that his record was unblemished investigators tracked Eric Windhurst
down to question him about Danny paquette's shooting but under advice from his lawyers he invoked his right to
remain silent police interviewed Eric's father who handed over his Ruger rifle it was compared against the bullet taken
from the telephone pole outside Danny piquette's home but it wasn't a match there was still one lead worth pursuing
both letters implicating Eric Windhurst in the murder of Danny piquette gave the
reason for the shooting after Danny's ex-wife Denise relocated to Alaska with their three children they
never saw Danny again they didn't even attend his funeral but unbeknown to Dany in the year before
his death his 15 year old stepdaughter Melanie had been living just 15 miles away
Melanie's maternal aunt and uncle lived in Hopkinton and today had invited Melanie to stay with them for summer
vacation [Music] the couple were financially well off with distinguished careers
this was in stark contrast to Melanie's life in Alaska where her mother Denise worked hard just to make ends meet
Melanie loved her vacation to Hopkinton so much that when she returned to Alaska
she asked Denise if she could move there Hopkinton High School had a good academic reputation and it would provide
her the opportunity to make new friends Denise agreed and in late August of 1985
three months before Danny paquette's death Melanie moved in permanently with her aunt and uncle
Melanie hadn't seen Danny for four years and she wanted nothing to do with him the move was Kept Secret but Melanie and
Denise worried what Dany would do if he found out regardless Melanie adjusted fairly well
to life in Hopkinton she made friends easily and was proud to become the only girl to play on the high
school soccer team Melanie particularly hit it off with a fellow soccer player 17 year old Eric
Windhurst hay and Melanie started spending lots of time together and it wasn't long before
Melanie developed romantic feelings for her new friend Eric really cared about Melanie but told
his friends that he thought of her more as a little sister a sister he needed to protect at all
costs Melanie Paquette had since lost contact with Eric Windhurst she had gotten
married and moved to California [Music] when investigators tracked her down in 1992 she said she was too busy looking
after her young children to answer any questions instead an officer sent her a series of
questions regarding Danny's death Melanie returned her answers a week later in response to the question of whether
Eric Windhurst had any reason to shoot Dany Melanie wrote in my opinion he did not have any reason
to shoot Danny without any physical evidence to corroborate the rumors the police
couldn't press charges [Music] over a year later in October 1993 a New Hampshire journalist the named Michael
Manzo was writing an article about a murder trial the case was only solved because a
witness had given police the name of the Killer the story had a profound effect on
Michael once he finished writing the article he called the police and told them that
Melanie piquette was his college girlfriend in September 1988 she confided in him
that she and Eric Windhurst had killed Danny Paquette [Music] Michael offered to call Melanie on a
tapped line to see if he could get her to confess it had been a long time since the two
had spoken after exchanging pleasantries Michael broached the subject of dany's death
Melanie denied ever having the conversation telling Michael that she was in a dark place when they were
dating and often made up stories for attention unable to get any information out of her
the case went cold once again 11 years went by before the New Hampshire State Police were awarded
additional funding that allowed them to reopen the case in July 2004 two officers knocked on
Melanie's door [Music] by this point she had relocated to Idaho had five children and was a devout
Mormon it had been almost 20 years since Danny piquette was killed Melanie agreed to accompany the officers
to the station to answer some questions when I asked her to take a polygraph Melanie's face went pale
she nonetheless agreed as the technician hooked her up to the machine she became visibly anxious
she asked if she could have a moment to say a prayer the technician agreed and left the room
when he returned Melanie was crying she said she was finally ready to tell the truth
as a new student at Hopkinton High School Melanie was relieved for Eric windhurst's friendship
as the two became closer Melanie confided in Eric about a secret she'd been keeping since she was nine years
old her stepfather Danny piquette had sexually abused her repeatedly until her family fled to Alaska when Melanie was
11. Melanie told Eric that after Danny raped her he would hold a gun to her head and
pull the trigger she never knew if the gun was loaded or not Danny used this to keep Melanie quiet
threatening to kill her if she spoke out he also forced her to hang from her chin
up bar and threatened to burn her with his walders torch if she let go sometimes he forced Melanie to watch
while he killed small animals Eric Windhurst was outraged and devastated for his friend
Melanie's suffering also hit close to home as Eric's father had sexually assaulted his stepsisters when Eric was
just a child too young to act on the abuse at the time Eric channeled all of his anger
onto Danny Packard in early November 1985 Eric was sitting with a friend in the school gymnasium
when he called Melanie over in a hushed voice he said we've been talking about the situation
with your stepfather do you want him dead Melanie replied yeah I want him dead days later on the morning of Saturday
November 9 Eric Windhurst phoned Melanie with an announcement he was going to Danny paquette's home to
kill him Melanie pleaded to go with him Eric didn't know what Danny looked like so here great
he drove over to Melanie's house in his Volkswagen Rabbit Melanie told her aunt and uncle the pair
were going to a high school hockey game they then drove the 15 miles to Danny's house
along the way they stopped at a gas station as detailed in the book our little secret the attendant who topped up the
gas noticed a rifle in the back of Eric's Car he remarked to Eric that it was a good
day for hunting once they arrived on Danny Street Eric parked his car further down in an area
hidden by bushes and covered his license plates with mud he and Melanie then walked through the
neighboring Woods until they arrived at Danny paquette's property they sat on a stone wall concealed by
Woodland Melanie could see Dany working in his yard and she pointed him out to Eric
Eric popped a stick of chewing gum into his mouth and the pair sat in silence as Eric chewed he turned to Melanie and
said when my gum runs out of flavor I'm going to do it Eric left Melanie and walked to the tree
line on Danny's property the shell of an old car sat a few feet away Eric crawled up to the car and rested
his rifle on the hood he could see Dany working on the bulldozer approximately 300 yards in the
distance Eric took aim he was an expert Marksman he fired and watched as Dany fell to the
ground the pair ran back to Eric's Car and drove past Danny's house trying not to
draw attention to themselves they went to a nearby Burger King restaurant to kill time
if anyone later asked their plan was to say they were at the hockey game a friend of Eric's had promised to
verify their alibi over the next few days Melanie expected the police to come looking for her but
days turned into weeks and nothing happened seven weeks after Danny was killed detectives finally interviewed Melanie
and Eric they both stuck to their false Alibi which Eric's framed corroborated meanwhile rumors spread throughout
Eric's group of friends that he had killed Danny piquette as an act of vigilantism for abusing Melanie
some wrestled with the idea of turning Eric in but ultimately no one went to the police with many believing that
Danny piquette's murder was justified after finally revealing the truth to the police Melanie agreed to call Eric
Windhurst in a bid to corroborate her story although they hadn't spoken in many years he seemed pleased to hear from her
as detailed in our little secret Melanie told Eric that investigators were on their way to Idaho to speak with her
she didn't know whether to cooperate with them or not Eric advised Melanie to get a lawyer and
said he didn't want to speak about it over the phone he offered to get on a plane and speak
to Melanie in person Melanie said I'm really sick of this Eric replied yeah well I am too
I've tried just to live my life every day and delivered as well as I possibly can
not a day goes by I don't think about all this not a day goes by I don't think about
you and how you're doing Melanie said she was going to tell the investigators that Eric had killed Danny
when he reacted calmly she asked why he wasn't freaking out Eric explained I've been scared about this my whole
life maybe I've lived with this so long I'm at peace with whatever happens it's out of my hands
Melanie called Eric a few more times despite her attempts to elicit a confession Eric Windhurst wasn't talking
investigators would have to use another tactic they traveled across the country to
speak with those who knew Eric in high school once his former friends learned that
Melanie had confessed the walls of Silence came crumbling down the fact that Eric had killed Danny
piquette was an Open Secret in fact Eric would tell new friends and lovers about what he'd done
he allegedly told a girlfriend that after shooting Danny he chopped the gun into pieces and Scattered them along a
drive to Colorado others who knew admitted they hadn't come forward out of fear that Eric would
retaliate violently years after Dany was killed Eric confided in his friend Thea about his
role in the murder Theo wrote about Eric's confession in her Personal Diary unsure whether to
believe it I thought I knew him so well how could he live with himself she wrote
before conceding I want to take the only way out and just forget about it assume it's just a rumor
but what if it's true [Music] Eric Windhurst was arrested in December 2005. two days later a grand jury formally
charged him with first-degree murder he pleaded not guilty but changed his mind when offered a plea bargain
by pleading guilty to the Lesser charge of second-degree murder he avoided going
to trial Eric Windhurst was sentenced to serve 15 to 36 years at the New Hampshire State
Prison at the hearing Eric turned to the Paquette family and said I have no words to express how sorry I
am for what I've done I just hope someday that you can forgive me a victim impact statement read on behalf
of Danny's sister said worried in my power I would have everyone that was part of this 21-year
secret some would say cover-up be standing beside Mr Eric Windhurst to share in his guilt and sentencing
the question remained what to do with Melanie in December 2006 she faced a hearing to
determine an appropriate punishment throughout the investigation Melanie had maintained that she didn't believe Eric
was serious about his plan to kill Danny despite being at the scene of the crime
and withholding the truth for almost two decades Melanie faced the no charges relating to the murder of Danny Packard
instead for lying on the written questionnaire that was sent out in 1992 she was charged with felony hindering
apprehension Denny's family were outraged a majority of them refused to believe that Dany was
an abuser Melanie had admitted to making up other stories in her teenage years including
telling people that she had cancer some of the packets believed her claims of sexual assault were another false
fabrication a victim impact statement read by one of Danny's nieces said we're here because you convinced a human
being to murder another human being you used 21 years of our suffering to build a life
you orchestrated this murder without you there wouldn't have been a murder [Music]
Melanie pleaded guilty to the charge her attorney requested that any sentence be suspended due to the emotional and
physical abuse Melanie had suffered at the hands of her adoptive father the presiding judge doubted Melanie's
claims that she didn't know Eric was going to go through with the shooting he said
I guess I have real difficulty in accepting the idea that at some point the lights didn't go on
he sentenced Melanie to three to six years in prison adding my heart goes out to your family
it is clear you have done some tremendous things with your life since this tragedy
[Music] in October 2020 Eric Windhurst was up for parole after serving 15 years Victor piquette appeared in his online
parole Hearing in which he held up a photo of Dany for Eric to see look familiar he said
is this the man you saw in your rifle sites let me help you with this loving brother
respected and well-liked businessmen and most of all a loving and caring father to the anguish of the Paquette family
Eric Windhurst was granted parole he eventually resettled in his hometown of Hopkinton New Hampshire where he was
generally welcomed by the public many thought he had served enough time While others continued to believe the
crime was justified Eric's father died in July 2016. no charges were ever brought against him
for the alleged sexual abuse of his stepdaughters as the statute of limitations had run out before the
allegations were brought to light when writing his book our little secret author Kevin Flynn visited Eric
Windhurst in prison Eric showed great remorse over his actions telling Flynn every adult every person in Melanie's
life failed her from the moment she was born until the day I met her did I do the right thing
of course not for me I was rescuing a friend stepping up to the plate when no one else would
and I can't tell you enough it was the biggest mistake of my life Eric windhurst's involvement in Danny
paquette's death proved once and for all there was no connection between dany's death and that of his mother Reena
at the time Rina died the prime suspect Edward Coolidge was under such intense police observation that some believe
there was no way he could have killed her to this day the truth about Rina paquette's death remains a mystery
[Music] [Music] on a chilly night in 1991 a group of teenagers gathered in their usual
hangout a Barren stretch of desert next to a busy highway near Bakersfield California a dismal spot littered with
trash and shell casings by Nightfall it turned into a sort of Lover's Lane where
high school kids drank and smoked when two boys left their group and headed into the darkness They Came Upon
a horrific scene the body of a young woman murdered just hours before she had no enemies besides girls at
school teenage stuff not any kind of trouble that somebody would murder her this 1991 murder made news headlines for
years as it shocked and divided a quiet working class community of course I knew
about Maria's case everyone in Bakersfield knows about Maria's case people were just they were glued to
their TV sets and read the paper every day there was a lot of the speculation in Alaska
that maybe he was not the all-around athlete that people thought he might be when he lied about being her boyfriend I
feel like he had something to do with it justice took its course in a twisted and
controversial case that captivated many but what if the real killer were yet to be discovered because he warned me that
he told me that I got the detective that he was here when he wasn't really here if you ask the sheriff's department and
if you ask the prosecutor's office they would say yeah we solved it it's just unfortunate how things ended up
in this series we will hear brand new Clues interview people that have never spoken publicly before and discover
family secrets that shed light on who may have killed Maria Rodriguez and why I kind of want all of our families
hidden secrets and all of the dark past I want it to come out to light I'm Octavia McHenry for case File presents
and this is in the shadows the story of Maria Rodriguez

Case 237: Rena & Danny Paquette

In February 1960, the city of Manchester, New Hampshire, was rocked by the violent murder of teenager Sandra Valade. Three years later, another teenager, Pamela Mason, was killed in the same manner. A quiet housewife named Rena Paquette confided to police that she knew who murdered the two teens. Just days after coming forward, she was found dead under mysterious circumstances by her son, Danny Paquette.

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Jessica Forsayeth Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

Website https://www.casefilepodcast.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casefile Twitter https://twitter.com/case_file Instagram https://www.instagram.com/casefilepodcast Patreon https://www.patreon.com/casefile Casefile Presents https://casefilepresents.com

RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-237-rena-danny-paquette

Brief Summary

The episode details the murders of Sandra Valade and Pamela Mason, leading to Edward Coolidge's arrest and conviction.

Key points

The Disappearance of Sandra Valade. Sandra Valade goes missing after a night out, leading to a frantic search.
The Discovery of Sandra's Body. Sandra's body is found, revealing a violent crime that shocks the community.
Pamela Mason Goes Missing. Pamela Mason disappears after a babysitting call, prompting a massive search.
Rina Paquette's Tragic Death. Rina Paquette is found dead in a pigsty, raising suspicions about her death.
Coolidge's Alibi Changes. Edward Coolidge's alibi shifts multiple times during questioning, raising suspicions about his involvement.
Danny Paquette's Mysterious Death. Danny Paquette is shot on the first day of hunting season, leading to a complex investigation.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

You're next.

A threatening voice on the phone warns a friend of Sandra.

8:58WatchMar 4, 2023

Tension

75/ 100High tension

More from Casefile

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.