Final Chameleon Killer victim identified 25 years after child's body found in barrel

The final victim of the Chameleon Killer has been identified 25 years after a child's body was found in a barrel.

For years the girl's identity remained a mystery until a DNA breakthrough established the facts. She was identified as Rea Rasmussen, the final victim of killings that later became known as the Bear Brook murders.

She was the daughter of Terry Peder Rasmussen, who became known as the Chameleon Killer, and used many aliases, which included "Bob Evans." He was identified as the killer behind four murders and is suspected of being behind at least one more.

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He was convicted in 2022 over the murder of his wife and he died in prison back in 2010. New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella said in a press release: "This case has weighed on New Hampshire and the nation for decades.

"With Rea Rasmussen’s identification, all four victims now have their names back." The dreaded cases came to light in 1985 when the remains of a woman and a young girl were found in 1985.

On May 9, 2000, a second barrel was found containing the remains of two young girls close to where the first one was located. Rea, who was born in 1976, was just four years old when she was killed.

Authorities believe the two children were killed in either the late 1970s or early 1980s. Rea's identified was learned via DNA testing that was previously used to learn the identities of the other victims, Marlyse Honeychurch and her daughters Marie Vaughn and Sarah McWaters, who were last seen in 1978.

New Hampshire State Police Detective Sergeant Christopher N. Elphick said: "We never forget Rea. We never stopped looking."

Rasmussen is suspected in other murder cases, reports People. Elphick added: "I fear that he continued the pattern of killing people. He's one of the only serial offenders that killed victims he actually knew and had relationships with, which is certainly unique. And he — I do not mean this [in] any way, shape or form as a compliment — but he was extremely skilled."

Elphick is pleased that Rea was finally idenrified. He added: "Naming her brings a sense of justice but also reminds us of the unanswered questions that remain. We continue to seek answers about the disappearance of Pepper Reed."