NEW HAMPSHIRE, 2001: It was late fall of 2001 and Louise Chaput was looking forward to her weekend plans of hiking the White Mountains with friends. But when those plans fell through, Louise, who was eager to return to the majestic White Mountains that she’d hiked before, decided to do the trip on her own. 

She arrived at the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center in New Hampshire on the afternoon of Thursday, November 15, 2001. Before checking into her camp lodgings for the night, she set out on a short hike to stretch her legs after the car ride. But she never returned to check in for her reservation at the lodge. Three days later, she hadn’t returned home to Quebec, either.

For three days, searchers fought dangerously cold temperatures and deep snow looking for any clues that would lead to her whereabouts. Then, a week after Louise had set off on what was supposed to be a short hike, her body was located just 200 feet from a popular trailhead.

Louise Chaput did not freeze to death or fall from a cliff or suffer some sort of accident. Louise Chaput was murdered, and her killer has never been found.

If you have information regarding this case, contact the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit at (603) 271-2663, coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov, or leave a tip.

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