Read more
On October 24, 1961, Massachusetts wife and mother Joan Risch vanished seemingly into thin air. Even with her children home and neighbors nearby, Joan disappeared from her upscale suburban house, never to be heard from again. The search that followed was one of the most intensive investigations of its time, but detectives were unable to identify any suspects.
Using extensive police casefiles and hundreds of newspaper articles written about the disappearance, this book carefully explores the story of Joan Risch and the investigation into her disappearance. With the assistance of a former FBI criminal profiler and an LA cold case detective, this book reports previously undisclosed facts from the investigation, including multiple witness statements. Also evaluated are the numerous theories on the disappearance, ultimately revealing a possible explanation of what happened to Joan Risch that fateful October afternoon.
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Foreword by Cliff Shepard
Preface
¿1.¿The Joan Risch Disappearance
¿2.¿Buying the Lincoln Home
¿3.¿Lincoln and the Redcoats
¿4.¿Joan Risch, 1930-1950
¿5.¿Joan Risch, Possible Sexual Abuse
¿6.¿Joan Risch, 1950-1960
¿7.¿Massachusetts, 1961
¿8.¿The Risch Family in Lincoln, April-October 1961
¿9.¿October 24, 1961, 6:50 a.m. to 1:55 p.m.
10.¿October 24, 1961, 1:55 to 4:33 p.m.
11.¿October 24, 1961, Woman Walking Along Highways
12.¿The Police Investigation Begins
13.¿Forensic Evidence
14.¿The Search for Joan Risch
15.¿The Complex Mystery
16.¿The Investigating Agencies
17.¿Martin Risch
18.¿Martin's Co-Workers
19.¿The Investigation, 1961
20.¿The Elusive Oldsmobile
21.¿Voluntary Abandonment
22.¿Botched Abortion
23.¿Happenstance
24.¿The Investigation Moves Into 1962
25.¿The 1962 Investigation Continued
26.¿Violence by a Stranger
27.¿Violence by an Acquaintance or Familiar Stranger
28.¿Family Conflict
29.¿Lessons of Similar Cases
30.¿1963 and the Nattrasses
31.¿A Planned Abduction?
32.¿Women by the Highways
33.¿A Possible Crime
34.¿Conclusion
35.¿Aftermath
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Stephen H. Ahern worked as a corporate and commercial lawyer in Massachusetts and Maryland for over 40 years. He lives in Boxborough, Massachusetts.
Summary
Using extensive police casesfiles and hundreds of newspaper articles written about the disappearance, this book carefully explores the story of Joan Risch and the investigation into her disappearance. The book reports previously undisclosed facts from the investigation, including multiple witness statements.
