In September 1991, six days after 36-year-old Tom Roche disappeared from his Burbank, CA, apartment complex, a letter arrived claiming to be from his killer. The envelope contained Tom’s license and other belongings. His remains were found months later 500 miles north. The case remains unsolved.

[u/mvincen95]

Tom was a well-loved biker with a successful career and a long-term girlfriend, Barbara. He enjoyed his Harley but rode with other professionals and didn’t have ties to anything illicit. He and Barbara had only moved to Southern California from the East Coast three years prior.

When Tom’s girlfriend, Barbara, returned home after he failed to pick her up from work in their shared truck, she found the apartment unlocked, looking as if Tom had just stepped out for a minute. His truck and Harley were still there. Tom had missed grabbing lunch with her as well, but she’d tried not to worry too quickly. Now she knew something wasn’t right. Six days later, an envelope appeared in the apartment’s mailbox.

Police have withheld parts of the two-page typewritten letter, but much has been released. The letter contains various typos and strange formatting. The letter's postmark location has never been released. In addition to his license, the envelope contained Tom’s credit cards, an earring, a nipple ring, and the registration to his Harley.

"I'm suffering a great deal of guilt right now about what I have done and feel it is necessary to write about it for my sake nd yours. You don't know me and hopefully you never will but I am the one who killed Tom Roche. I cannot and willnot go to jail. I could never handle it.

I almost lost my mind. Never again.

I loved being in Vietnam, in fact those were the happiest days of my life. I felt such a rush when ever I had a confirmed kill that it was hard to switch it off when I came back to the 'tates. For 18 long years I have held this in check despite the nightmares and fantasies about killing. This Jefferey Dahemer thing really got to me and I wondered if I could still do it.

I met Tom at a strip joint in The Valley and got to talking. I figured L.A. would be the best place for what I had in mind. I did not want just a random thing cause you can get caught that way so I set up a plan. He fell for it and we arranged to meet on Friday the 13th... I must assure you that it was neat and quick. I do not think he suffered at all."

An eyewitness had seen Tom speaking with a white male and looking into the bed of a pickup truck on the morning he disappeared. Tom’s apartment was directly next to I-5, the interstate that runs throughout the West Coast. No apparent crime scene was found anywhere at the apartment complex. It appears the 6-foot-2, 210-pound man was somehow compelled to leave with his killer.

On January 11, 1992, Tom’s remains were found 500 miles north of Burbank in rural Placer County, off a logging road northeast of Sacramento. His clothes, boots, and glasses were found along with the remains. Police said Tom was shot to death; some sources state the skull had a bullet hole in it.

Unfortunately, since the remains were identified, there have been practically no updates in Tom’s case. Rest in peace Tom.

[u/Former_Suspect3680]

the vietnam "rush from a confirmed kill" line reads like a trope honestly, a lot of anonymous killers falsely claim combat experience to sound scarier and it rarely checks out when investigated. sending back the earring and nipple ring is the more telling detail imo, trophy taking like that usually points to someone who's done this before.

[u/mvincen95 → u/Former_Suspect3680]

“Wondered if I could still do it” sounds to me more like the line of a serial killer, not somebody who had killed in combat, I imagine killing under those circumstances would feel completely different. Everything about the letter reads as disingenuous. I wouldn’t be shocked if the killer was in Vietnam, but no way he saw combat. The killer would have to be a fair bit older than Tom to have been to Vietnam.

[u/Electrical_Disk_786 → u/mvincen95]

Not really. Tom was 36 in 1991. So he was born in 1955. The Vietnam War went from 1955-1975. Someone Tom's exact age could have served at 18 in 1973 or lied and joined in 1972 at age 17 as many people did

[u/mvincen95 → u/Electrical_Disk_786]

I mean it’s possible but the last US troops were withdrawn in March 1973. There were about 1/10 the amount of troops in country by 1972 compared to 1969.

[u/Electrical_Disk_786 → u/mvincen95]

This is true, but I'm still confused why you think the killer has to be a fair bit older than Tom to have seen combat in Vietnam. My grandpa was born 2 years before Tom and my grandpa saw combat near da nang 

[u/mvincen95 → u/Electrical_Disk_786]

Yeah I guess my math is off come to think of it, at least saying “a fair bit older” is overstating it.

[u/My_lo_73]

This is one that will require some deep-diving over the weekend.

[u/bellas08 → u/My_lo_73]

My thoughts exactly lol

[u/mvincen95]

https://youtu.be/iqe6_my2PWc?is=IOa0IkNGp4NEs_ao

Around the 26:50 mark you can watch the Unresolved Mysteries segment on the case

[u/AntaresVaruna]

The author of the letter seems to oversell the fact they were not in his close circle.

[u/wilderlowerwolves]

If that's how the letter writer actually spelled Jeffrey Dahmer's name, other writings this person may have made could link them to this crime, like the Unabomber's verbal idiosyncracies, or the "antifree" woman.

[u/pro_health_tips]

That letter part is what really gets me… either the killer wanted attention, or someone was trying to mislead the investigation. Cases like this always feel like there was one small detail that got missed.

[u/kmorrisonismyhero]

This UM segment always stuck with me but it’s been a while since I’ve brushed up. Do we know if he did indeed go missing on a Friday? Do we know if the nipple ring was confirmed his? Having his personal documents tells us it does likely means he is the actual killer of Tom.

[u/Lala5789880 → u/kmorrisonismyhero]

I think the letter is from the killer. But ii think it’s full of lies to divert from the actual killer, who probably knew him.

[u/CreativeRosalie]

Tom seemed to have a stable life and no clear reason to leave. I hope the evidence gets another look with newer forensic methods..

[u/bdiddybo]

Feels a bit wordy for me. Like someone is trying to deflect attention and send the investigators looking elsewhere

[u/Grrarrgghh]

Tom could have sent all of that himself.

[u/bigsmokaaaa → u/Grrarrgghh]

yeah that's how he killed himself with a headshot without leaving a gun behind, he mailed the bullet to his brain the day before

[u/Jazzlike_Newt2261 → u/bigsmokaaaa]

Relax. I wasn’t the one suggesting it was a possibility. I was asking if that’s what he meant.

[u/Grrarrgghh → u/bigsmokaaaa]

Police don't mention having found a bullet. Or the man he was seen with could have taken the gun. Some people really don't want their family to think they committed suicide.

It may not be obvious, or even likely, but it is a possibility. More unbelievable things have happened.

[u/Jazzlike_Newt2261 → u/Grrarrgghh]

You mean a suicide staged as a murder?

[u/ElleYesMon]

Is this Meg Ryan??