1991. Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

On a bitter February night in 1991, the quiet of a Portsmouth neighborhood was shattered when flames erupted from a neighbor’s home. By the time the fire was under control, two beloved members of the community were dead.

Stella Bolton, 68, and James "JJ" Moore, 73, were familiar and well-loved faces around the Seacoast area. They were longtime friends who shared a simple, quiet life.

But investigators soon discovered that the fire was only part of the story.

Stella and JJ had been killed before the flames consumed their home. What initially appeared to be a devastating house fire was now a double homicide—and someone had gone to extraordinary lengths to hide what they had done.

As investigators began piecing together those final hours, questions piled up. Who would want Stella and JJ dead? Why were they targeted? And could the person responsible have been someone they knew?

But Portsmouth detectives have never given up hope. They believe the answers may still be out there, held by someone who remembers what happened-and they remain determined to uncover the truth and bring justice to Stella and JJ.

Episode sources and photos: https://murdershetold.com/episodes/stella-bolton-james-moore

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At just nine months old, in April 1987, Jacob Landin was murdered. His future, his laughter, and the love he deserved were taken from him in an instant.

But Jacob’s story is far from forgotten. His case remains unsolved, yet his name has become a symbol of resilience, justice, and the unwavering determination of those who refuse to let his memory fade.

AdvocacyCon was created in part because of Jacob’s story—to fight for families like his, demand answers, and help ensure that no victim is forgotten.

Jacob’s brother, Eric Carter Landin, and Whitney St. Andre, two of the creators of AdvocacyCon, join Murder, She Told to talk about the importance of creating a community where those impacted by crime and unresolved cases can find resources, connection, and support.

AdvocacyCon 2026 takes place September 11–13 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and tickets are still available. Murder, She Told has made a donation to help one family attend AdvocacyCon at no cost to them. Those who would like to help another family attend can make a donation through Impact Advocacy, linked below.

Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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1961 - Lincoln, Massachusetts.

What happened inside Joan Risch’s Lincoln home on October 24, 1961 may never be fully known.

Blood stained the kitchen floor. Someone appeared to have tried to wipe it away. Her two young children were left behind, but Joan herself was nowhere to be found.

As investigators worked to reconstruct Joan’s final known hours, unsettling witness accounts and conflicting clues began to emerge. Was Joan attacked inside her own home? Did she leave willingly? And if she did, why would she leave her children behind?

The theories surrounding her disappearance only seemed to create more questions. Every clue offered a possible explanation, but none could account for everything that happened that afternoon.

More than six decades later, Joan Risch remains missing—and the mystery of what happened to her continues to haunt the quiet Massachusetts neighborhood where she was last seen.

Read ⁠A Kitchen Painted in Blood⁠ by Stephen Ahern

Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠

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1961 - Lincoln, Massachusetts.

On the afternoon of October 24, 1961, a quiet suburban neighborhood in Lincoln, Massachusetts became the setting for one of New England's most haunting mysteries.

When neighbors realized something was wrong at the home of 31-year-old Joan Risch, they stumbled on a scene that has puzzled investigators for more than six decades.

Bloodstains marked the kitchen floor, with smears suggesting someone had tried to wipe them away. Joan's 2-year-old son was found crying upstairs, while her young daughter wandered outside looking for help. But Joan herself was gone.

For investigators, the evidence painted an unsettling picture—but not a clear one. As witness accounts emerged and detectives began piecing together the day's events, each new clue seemed to raise more questions than answers. More than six decades later, one question still remains: What happened to Joan Risch?

Read A Kitchen Painted in Blood by Stephen Ahern

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1993 - Kittery, Maine.

On a cold night in January 1993, an intruder broke into the home of 73-year-old Maxine Bitomski, killing the beloved widow in the quiet coastal town of Kittery, Maine. The following day, Maxine's grandson stopped by for a visit and made the heartbreaking discovery: she had been murdered.

For decades, investigators revealed very little about the case, leaving the community to wonder why anyone would target the elderly woman.

But behind the scenes, police say they had a suspect from the very beginning.

In June 2026, Maine State Police arrested 59-year-old Daniel Jolly of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Jolly was 25 years old at the time of the killing and supplied oxygen equipment to Maxine through his job.

Now, after more than three decades of unanswered questions, the case has entered a new chapter. For the first time, investigators have revealed key details about the evidence—and why they believe Daniel Jolly is responsible for Maxine Bitomski's murder.

Episode sources and photos: ⁠⁠https://murdershetold.com/episodes/maxine-bitomski

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1989 - Worcester, Massachusetts.

June 5, 1989, was supposed to be a day of celebration for 17-year-old Nereida “Nettie” Melendez. The responsible and ambitious teenager was set to graduate from high school and begin the next chapter of her life. But when Nettie failed to appear at her graduation ceremony, her family immediately knew something was wrong. Their worst fears were realized the following day when Nettie’s body was found during a family-led search.

Decades later, the mystery surrounding her death remains unsolved. Nettie's brother, Peter Vasquez, and cousin, Doris, join us to talk about the young woman behind the headlines, the lingering questions that continue to haunt their family, and the determination that keeps them searching for justice.

17-year-old Nereida Melendez, who went by Nettie, had a big day ahead of her, and plans for her bright future. June 5th, 1989, was just the beginning: her high school graduation. But when her name was called onstage to get her diploma, Nettie was nowhere to be found. Her family started to panic. Nettie was responsible, and it was highly unlike her to miss such an important event.

Their panic ended in tragedy when her body was recovered after a family search the next day. To this day, her case still remains unsolved.

Nettie’s brother, Peter Vasquez, and her cousin Doris, reflect on Nettie’s life, their frustrations with the slow moving investigation, and what they would say if they were face to face with her killer.

This episode was originally published on 01/03/23.

Episode sources and photos: ⁠https://murdershetold.com/episodes/nettie-melendez⁠

Support the show: ⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠

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2019 - Manchester, NH.

On December 31st, 2021, the Manchester, NH police went to the media with an alarming press release: a little girl named Harmony Montgomery was missing, and she hadn't been seen in 2 years.

In 2024, her father, Adam Montgomery, was convicted of second degree murder for the death of his daughter.

In June of 2026, there was a major update in Adam's conviction. This is what you need to know.

Revisit the Murder, She Told 2-part episode on Harmony Montgomery's disappearance and the trial of Adam Montgomery:

Learn about "prior bad acts" in the episode on Mark Dugas: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/mark-dugas

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1977 - Elwood, Illinois.

In September 1977, 84-year-old Alice Sturm was murdered in her bed inside her home in Elwood, Illinois. Suspicion quickly fell on Alice’s live-in granddaughter, Sheila, and her friend, Ernest Stanberry. But almost as quickly as the charges were filed, they were dropped — and Alice’s case quietly faded into obscurity for decades.

What investigators didn’t know at the time was that Ernest Stanberry was also a suspect in another murder: the 1975 killing of Judy Lord in Concord, New Hampshire, a case that remained unsolved until 2025.

It wasn’t until 2026 that our research uncovered the connection between these two cases—linking a decades-old Illinois murder to a cold case hundreds of miles away.

For nearly fifty years, Alice Sturm’s murder sat collecting dust… Until now.

This is the story of the murder of Alice Sturm.

Episode sources and photos: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/alice-sturm

Revisit The Murder of Judy Lord, published on 2/25/26: ⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/judy-lord⁠

Support the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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1987 - Westbrook, Maine.

In October of 1987, 23-year-old Alice Hawkes was brutally murdered inside the apartment she shared with her boyfriend in Westbrook, Maine. Her killer left her dying on the bathroom floor, locked the door behind them, and disappeared into the night.

For nearly four decades, Alice’s case remained unsolved.

But now, after 39 years of unanswered questions, there has been an arrest. This is a short need-to-know update in the recent major developments in the unsolved case of Alice Hawkes.

Revisit the original Alice Hawkes Episode from 2021

Find your platform for the original episode:

Support the show: ⁠⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠⁠

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1990 - Springfield, Massachusetts.

On the morning after Christmas in 1990, a parks employee at Blunt Park in Springfield, MA, made a grim discovery: the body of 17-year-old Shana Renee Price. Initially, police suspected she had been shot, but an autopsy later revealed the brutal truth behind her death.

Shana was a young mother to a baby boy, living a vibrant life surrounded by her friends and family.

Her case received little public attention until 2022, when Springfield Police and the Hampden County DA released a phenotype composite sketch developed by Parabon Nanolabs. The sketch, created using DNA evidence found on Shana’s body, reignited hope that her tragic murder might finally be solved.

However, police still need the public’s help to bring her killer to justice.

This episode was originally published in December 2024.

If you are a current or former Hampden County resident, get a free DNA ancestry kit to help solve cold cases: ⁠https://hampdenda.com/news/forensic-genetic-genealogy/⁠

Episode sources and photos: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/shana-renee-price

Support the show: ⁠https://www.murdershetold.com/support⁠

Learn more about Investigative Genetic Genealogy: https://murdershetold.com/episodes/investigative-genetic-genealogy⁠

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