Laureen Rahn
1980
Manchester, New Hampshire
Went Missing: April 26 or 27, 1980
Air date: April 24, 2026 for Apple Subscribers
Case Summary
Laureen Rahn was 14 years old when she disappeared from her apartment in Manchester, New Hampshire, in April 1980, leaving behind a scene that has never been fully explained. On the night she vanished, she was home with two friends while her mother was out, and sometime after midnight, she was last seen inside the apartment. A friend left after hearing voices in the hallway, and when her mother returned around 1:15 a.m., she found the building’s hallway lightbulbs unscrewed, the apartment doors open, and a friend asleep in Laureen’s bed, but no sign of Laureen herself. Her purse, money, and shoes were left behind, and there were no signs of a struggle. In the months and years that followed, mysterious phone calls traced to California motels and repeated silent calls to her mother raised the possibility that she may have been alive after her disappearance, though none were ever confirmed. Despite reported sightings and potential links to other cases, including proximity to serial killer Terry Peder Rasmussen, no definitive answers have emerged. More than four decades later, investigators believe foul play was involved, but what happened to Laureen Rahn remains unknown.
Timeline
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April 26, 1980 — Daytime
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Laureen stays home while her mother goes out of town for the day.
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She spends time around the neighborhood and visits a nearby convenience store.
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Family members stop by the apartment throughout the day.
April 26, 1980 — Evening
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Laureen invites a male and female friend over.
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They drink beer and wine together inside the apartment.
April 27, 1980 — Around 12:30 a.m.
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Laureen and her male friend are in the living room.
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They hear voices in the hallway outside the apartment.
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The male friend leaves through the back door, assuming her mother is returning.
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He later says Laureen locked the door behind him.
April 27, 1980 — Around 1:15 a.m.
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Judith arrives home with her boyfriend.
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All hallway lightbulbs in the building have been unscrewed, leaving the building in complete darkness.
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The apartment’s front door is unlocked.
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The back door is open.
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Moments later, Judith sees someone in Laureen’s bed and assumes it is her.
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She realizes it is Laureen’s friend.
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The friend says Laureen had gone to sleep on the couch.
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The friend later says she remembers very little of the night due to intoxication.
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Early morning hours, Laureen is nowhere in the apartment.
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Her purse, money, and new sneakers are still inside.
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There are no signs of a struggle.
April 27, 1980 — Around 3:45 a.m.
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Judith flags down a police officer and reports Laureen missing.
1980 — Initial Investigation
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Police initially believe Laureen may have run away.
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As time passes, they shift their theory and believe she may have left the apartment briefly and intended to return.
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A possible sighting involving a bus trip to Boston is reported but later becomes uncertain.
October 1980
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Phone calls billed to Judith’s home are traced to motels in Santa Monica and Santa Ana, California.
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One call is made to a hotline for teens seeking assistance.
1981 to Mid-1980s
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Judith receives repeated silent phone calls, often around 3:45 a.m.
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The calls increase during holidays.
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They eventually stop after she changes her phone number.
1981 — Unconfirmed Sighting
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A possible sighting of Laureen is reported at a bus terminal in Boston.
1985 to 1986
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An investigator travels to California to follow up on the motel phone calls.
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Possible connections to exploitation activity are explored but never confirmed.
1988 — Unconfirmed Sighting
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A witness reports seeing a woman matching Laureen’s description in Anchorage, Alaska.
Later Developments
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The case is considered possibly linked to other disappearances in New Hampshire, though none are confirmed.
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Serial killer Terry Peder Rasmussen is later identified as living nearby at the time, but no direct connection is proven.
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Investigators state they believe foul play was involved.
Contact
If you know anything about this case, please contact:
New Hampshire Department of Justice
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