Crime & Safety
New Hampshire Cold Case: Woman, 22, Found Shot in Woods
Hinsdale, NH – Nearly 45 years after a 22 year old New Hampshire woman disappeared and was later found shot to death in the woods, her unsolved homicide remains a haunting mystery in Cheshire County.
By Dylan Reeves · 2026-10-15T21:24:55.095Z
Hinsdale, NH – Nearly 45 years after a 22 year old New Hampshire woman disappeared and was later found shot to death in the woods, her unsolved homicide remains a haunting mystery in Cheshire County.
According to the New Hampshire Department of Justice's Cold Case Unit, Mary Harrison was reported missing by her husband, Walter Harrison, on Thursday, October 15, 1981.
At the time, the couple lived on Broadbrook Road in Ashuelot, a village in Winchester, New Hampshire, southwest of Keene.
Fifteen days after she was reported missing, Harrison's body was discovered by a hunter on Friday, October 30, 1981, in a wooded area near Monument Road in Hinsdale.
An autopsy determined that Harrison died from a gunshot wound to the head. Her death was classified as a homicide.
A Mystery Spanning Decades The case has remained unsolved for nearly 45 years, leaving unanswered questions about what happened to Harrison between her disappearance and the discovery of her body.
The publicly shared cold case summary does not identify a suspect or provide details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Investigators continue to seek information that could help establish what happened and identify the person responsible.
Investigators Seek Public Assistance The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit encourages anyone with information about Harrison's disappearance or death to come forward.
Even information that may seem insignificant could potentially help investigators reconstruct the events surrounding the October 1981 homicide.
Tips can be submitted directly to the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit by emailing coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov or using the state's official cold case tip form .
As the 45th anniversary of Harrison's death approaches on October 30, her case remains an open appeal for answers and accountability.