On the evening of September 14, 1984, Roland Hanel, 49, and his wife Maram were last seen alive in their secluded chalet on Gendron Road in Jay, Vermont. A friend who checked on them days later found both dead: Roland in the living room and Maram in the kitchen. Investigators estimated the couple had been killed between September 15 and September 19 and determined both had been shot multiple times, each suffering eight to eleven gunshot wounds from what was believed to be a semi-automatic weapon or a handgun. No firearm was recovered and there were no signs of forced entry, leading investigators to conclude the victims may have known their killer.

Neighbors recalled hearing gunshots around that time but assumed the noise was hunters during bear season. The FBI later developed a profile suggesting the killer was familiar with the Hanels and had likely been to their home before, but despite probes into several leads — including an escaped convict in Vermont, possible ties to Roland’s boat in Florida, and speculative links to Maram’s past work — no evidence produced an arrest. The double homicide remains unsolved.

Did anyone in Jay or the surrounding area know the Hanels well enough to shed light on who might have had access to their chalet?