New Hampshire 1981 Cold Case Solved — A Cigarette Butt Named the Killer 42 Years Later

She checked her lock before bed. He was already inside. On the morning of September 28, 1981, a Portsmouth police officer arrived at 20 Chapel Street with a parking summons in hand. What he found instead changed the city forever. Laura Kempton — 23 years old, beauty school student, two jobs, a whole life ahead of her — was gone. Her door had been broken open from the inside. The hallway light had been deliberately disabled. And on the floor of her apartment sat a single cigarette butt that didn't belong to anyone investigators could find. For 42 years, that cigarette sat in an evidence bag. Waiting. In this documentary, we trace the full story of one of New Hampshire's most haunting cold cases — the investigation that stalled, the wrong man who was watched for 15 years, the DNA that survived four decades, and the forensic genealogy breakthrough that finally put a name to the killer nobody saw coming. His name was Ronney James Lee. He died in 2005. He never spent a single day in prison for what he did to Laura Kempton. But science doesn't need a living suspect. Subscribe and turn on notifications — we cover the cold cases that took decades to crack, and the science that finally cracked them. DISCLAIMER: This video is produced for educational and documentary purposes only. All information presented is based on publicly available records, verified news reports, and official police statements. This channel does not intend to defame, harass, or disrespect any individual, living or deceased, or their families. Viewer discretion is advised. #TrueCrime #ColdCase #DNASolved #ColdCasesSolved #TrueCrimeDocumentary #EnigmaCrimeArchive #UnsolvedMysteries #GeneticGenealogy #Murder #CriminalInvestigation #TrueCrimeCommunity #ColdCaseSolved