A New Investigator on an Old Murder Trail

By Kevin Forrest on Friday, April 27, 2007.

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A Vermont State Police investigator is searching for fresh clues on a two decades-old unsolved murder.

The brutal slaying is thought to be part of the Connecticut Valley serial killings which sent waves of fear along both sides of the river during the 1980s.

The Vermont Standardâ€™s Kevin Forrest reports.

Twenty-one years ago, Lynda Moore was enjoying the beautiful spring weather outside her Westminister home. When the 36-year-old mother went inside, a stranger followed her and a vicious struggle ensued. Moore was killed, suffering from multiple stab wounds.

Since then, an intense police investigation has failed to turn up the killer. The case has now been handed to Detective Sergeant Williams Jenkins of the Vermont State Police.

Jenkins still hopes there are people out there with information about Mooreâ€™s killer.

Jenkins - If thereâ€™s somebody out there who was in the past who was scared or apprehensive about coming forward, maybe they would now, knowing weâ€™re still interested

Mooreâ€™s killing is thought to be linked to a series of at least six murders along the Connecticut River Valley at the same time. Retired Psychologist and Criminal Profiler John Philpin was hired at the time to work on those cases. He remembers the palpable fear that prevailed.

Philpin - There were women being killed up and down the Interstate and it was just a very frightening time.

A break in Mooreâ€™s case and others came two years ago. A Florida man, Michael Nicholoau, killed his estranged wife and stepchild, then took his own life. The incident attracted the interest of investigator Lynn Marie Carty. She had been hired to find one of Nicholaouâ€™s former girlfriends who turned up missing.

Philpin and Carty investigated Nicholauâ€™s life. They found that the Vietnam veteran had left a trail of violence, murder, pornography and brushes with the law. Their most chilling discovery--Nicholaou not only had ties to the Connecticut Valley, he could be placed there at the time of the murders.

Initially skeptical, investigator Philpin now believes Nicholaou is a viable suspect in the killings.

Philpin - in June of last year I was at the 50-50 stage and now Iâ€™m inclined to believe he deserves a long, hard look.

Detective Sergeant Jenkins remains open to all possibilities, but agrees Nicholaou shouldnâ€™t be ruled out.

There are some things that are interesting about the information about him. He certainly looks familiar to the composite that was made. But at this point we have no hard evidence linking him.

Anyone who thinks they have information about the Lynda Moore case should contact Detective Sergeant William Jenkins at the Rockingham State Police Barracks.

For the Vermont Guardian, this is Kevin Forrest