February 27, 2017

On November 21, 1971, 13-year-old Kathy Lynn Gloddy left her Franklin, New Hampshire home and walked to a convenient store nearby. After purchasing ice cream and potato sticks she was spotted on the campus of Franklin High School. Then she disappeared.

The next afternoon the body of Kathy Gloddy, wearing only knee high socks, was found in the woods near a popular swimming spot just off Webster Street (now Chance Pond Road), about 3 miles from her home and a mile or so from where she was last seen. Kathy had been beaten, raped, strangled and run over repeatedly by a car.

Over the last 45 years, countless investigators and agencies have reviewed Kathy’s case. Persons of interest have been identified and interviewed but no arrests ever made.

In 2006, Edward Dukette, a convicted sex offender who served time for raping and nearly killing a young girl, came forward claiming to have information about Kathy Gloddy’s murder.

Dukette had some connections to the Gloddy family and, according to some reports, was among the original persons of interest. Dukette confessed to being with Kathy the day she was killed but portions of his story didn’t match the evidence. Dukette would later recant his story.

He died in 2009.

It has been suggested by a number of individuals with intimate knowledge about the case that more than one person was involved in Kathy’s abduction, rape and murder.

Kathy’s family has endured tremendous grief over the last 45 years. On top of the unsolved rape and murder, Kathy’s older brother died during open-heart surgery, her father succumbed to cancer, and in 1997, Kathy’s mother took her own life.

Kathy’s remaining family members have not given up hope though. They continue to pursue justice and even advocate for other families of unsolved cases. The family was instrumental in pushing for New Hampshire’s statewide Cold Case Unit.

Kathy’s sister, Karen Beaudin, has authored two books about Kathy’s case and her journey for justice; A Child is Missing: a true story and the sequel, A Child is Missing: searching for justice a true story. Both books are available on Amazon.com and Karen’s website.

Karen also contributed to two books in the Grief Diaries anthology series, Grief Diaries: Project Cold Case and Grief Diaries: Surviving Loss by Homicide.  Karen also travels to speak about unsolved homicides to law enforcement agencies across the country as well as to criminal justice students at universities. Karen notes the value of teaching our future law enforcement officers about the importance of pursuing unsolved cases.

On February 13, 2017, Kathy Lynn Gloddy should have celebrated her 59th birthday. Instead she is forever 13.

If you know anything about the abduction, rape and murder of Kathy Gloddy, no matter how small you think it is, please call the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit at (603) 271-2663. You can also submit a web tip here.

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