Name: Patrick Douglas Merrill
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: April 6, 1987
Location Last Seen: Plymouth, Grafton County, New Hampshire
Date of Birth: March 17, 1966
Age: 21 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 140 to 150 lbs.
Hair Color: Auburn
Eye Color: Blue
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unknown
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Available
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Patrick, a Plymouth State College student, was last seen riding in the front seat of an acquaintance's car northbound on Route 3 in Plymouth on April 6, 1987, at 7:30 p.m. Patrick allegedly had $13,000 to be used to purchase drugs from the acquaintance.
Patrick had met the acquaintance previously while hitchhiking from Amherst, Massachusetts, to Plymouth. The man, whom police describe as a "career criminal", was described by Patrick to his friends as a "cool guy" who could get marijuana for him and his college friends, and undoubtedly trusted the acquaintance, who worked as a teacher.
According to police investigations, Patrick met the acquaintance the evening of April 6, with between $6,000 and $13,000 he and his friends had pooled together to purchase 10 pounds of marijuana. An informant told police, the man never intended to sell Patrick the drugs, but stole the money, murdered Patrick, dismembered his body, and buried him in a remote bog in Proctor, Vermont pond.
The informant told police that days after Patrick's disappearance, the man showed him a plastic bottle with palm and feet skin. Police won't discuss the DNA results, but their contention is that the acquaintance murdered Patrick. Foul play is suspected in his disappearance and the acquaintance has yet to be charged.
Agency Name: New Hampshire State Police
Agency Contact Person: Michael Kokoski
Agency Phone Number: 603-223-8494
Agency E-Mail: coldcaseunit(at)dos.nh.gov
Agency Case Number: F-87-208
NamUs Case Number: 23398
NamUs
NH Missing Persons Report
NH DOJ
Burlington Free Press (Burlington, VT) - Jul. 7, 1987 & May 2, 1990
The Boston Globe - May 13, 1990
WMUR 9/ABC
Ancestry.com
Added: 2/9/22; Last Updated: 2/9/22 - By: hb
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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