Death on Otter Cliff: Acadia National Park Murder

26-year old Kathy Frost delicately turned the pages of her Bangor Daily News. It was her morning ritual of scanning local stories and national headlines that concluded with a careful assessment of the personals. The year was 1987, decades before the online dating and matchmaking app advancements we know today.

Kathy was lonely. She longed for a partner, a companion, the “other half” of herself that movies told her she was supposed to find by this point in her life. She owned her own home and she had a good job as a nurse’s aide at the Dexter Nursing Home. But despite all that Kathy had going for her, she was deeply insecure. Would she be alone, forever?

She scanned the short column, reading each new posting.

FARM ORIENTED MALE seeking mature, attractive, honest & fun loving female companion. 25-40 years old, likes children. Quiet weeknights at home and exciting weekends out.

SINCERE MAN 30’s humorous, attractive, positive, professional seeks a sincere, trim, interesting uncomplicated woman.

DISCREET Introductions in your area. Successful since 1972. They spelled discrete wrong.

And then:

CONSTRUCTION WORKER, 37, 5’7”, 135 lbs., active outdoorsman, seeks compatible, childless lady, 20-35 years old for lasting relationship. 

Lasting relationship. More than quiet weeknights and exciting weekends. More than a humorous 30-something searching for his “uncomplicated” match, definitely more than a misspelled discrete introduction — Kathy wanted a lasting relationship. 

She circled the address, a box reserved at the BDN offices for whoever placed the personal ad. She found that photo of herself that she loved, the one that was snapped when she felt her most beautiful, and began crafting her response, signing it with her phone number. Kathy allowed herself to feel a little bit of hope. Who was the man behind the ad? Could he be the one she was searching for? 

Kathy Frost couldn’t have known that the active outdoorsman, the construction worker, the 37 year old 5-foot 7 man who placed that ad wasn’t really looking for a lasting relationship — he was looking for a victim.

This is Death on Otter Cliff: The Acadia National Park Murder. Listen with the player above and on all major podcast platforms.