214 - The Murder of Tom Roche
Trace Evidence
Steven Pacheco
4.7 • 4.2K Ratings
🗓️ 11 February 2023
⏱️ 82 minutes
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Summary
On a cool, September afternoon in Burbank, California, thirty-six year old Tom Roche dropped off his girlfriend, Barbara Rondeau, at her office. Promising to return for lunch later that afternoon, Barbara would never see her partner of sixteen years ever again.
Six days after filing a missing person's report, Barbara received a grotesque letter in the mail. In it, the writer claimed to have murdered Tom and dumped his body in the mountains surrounding Los Angeles. In addition to his disturbing words, inside the envelope were several of Tom's personal affects that had gone missing with him.
While investigators were debating whether or not the letter was legitimate, five hundred miles away, investigators in northern California came upon partial human remains surrounded by clothing and personal items belonging to Tom. It would take years to positively identify the remains as those of Tom Roche.
Was Tom Roche targeted at random by a vicious and violent killer or is it possible that the letter was a ruse designed to lead investigators in the wrong direction?
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| 0:30.6 | 36-year-old Tom Roach and his longtime girlfriend Barbara Rondo decided to head off on a new adventure. |
| 0:46.2 | Leaving their home in New England behind the couple traveled west to Southern California |
| 0:50.4 | where they quickly settled into an apartment in Burbank. |
| 0:53.9 | For three long years they lived a life of fun, sun, and long rides on Tom's beloved Harley |
| 0:59.5 | Davidson. Everything was going according to plan and the two were extremely happy with |
| 1:04.3 | their new home until one chilly afternoon in September of 1991 when Tom mysteriously vanished. |
| 1:12.4 | After dropping Barbara off at work, Tom promised to return for lunch but never arrived. When |
| 1:17.5 | Barbara got off later, Tom was again in no show. |
| 1:21.3 | Watching a ride to their apartment, Barbara found several indications that Tom had been |
| 1:25.2 | there but where he was now, she had no idea. By the next morning when Tom still hadn't |
| 1:30.7 | returned, Barbara reported him missing. |
| 1:34.2 | Just six days later, Barbara received a disturbing letter in the mail. In it, the writer alleged |
| 1:39.8 | who have killed Tom and dumped his body in the mountain surrounding Los Angeles. Included |
| 1:45.4 | in the letter were several personal items that had belonged to Tom. |
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