MARLBOROUGH, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Nearly five decades after the body of a young woman was discovered in the woods off Route 124, New Hampshire investigators have finally identified her as 21-year-old Nancy Gale Erickson, a former nurse from Florida and Vermont.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced the breakthrough Wednesday, crediting advancements in forensic science and collaboration across multiple agencies. According to a news release, Erickson’s identity was confirmed through DNA testing conducted between 2022 and 2024, which matched samples from her siblings to the remains recovered in Marlborough on April 16, 1974.

The discovery ends a mystery that has haunted investigators for nearly 50 years.

Erickson was last seen in October 1973 after she abruptly quit her job at the Brattleboro Retreat and left the Community House in Brattleboro, Vermont. That same year, she had moved to Vermont from Tampa, Florida, where she worked as a nurse at Tampa General Hospital. She had previously studied nursing at Corning Community College in New York, where she was raised.

Her family believes the emotional toll of her nursing work may have contributed to her sudden departure from Florida. Shortly after arriving in Vermont, she was arrested in Bellows Falls for stealing a car, telling a judge she had run out of gas while heading to see friends. She was sentenced to probation and remained in Brattleboro but vanished soon after.

Her partially decomposed body was discovered six months later, wearing mismatched clothing including a corduroy coat and insulated underwear. Forensic analysis determined that she had died sometime in late fall 1973, but her identity remained unknown, and both the cause and manner of death could not be determined.

It wasn’t until 2021 that Erickson was officially reported missing by her family—nearly 48 years after she disappeared. That report allowed authorities to reopen the case with a new direction. Through efforts by the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory, Bode Technology, the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and NamUs, investigators confirmed the remains belonged to Erickson.

With her identity now known, investigators are seeking help from the public to better understand the circumstances surrounding her death. They’re asking anyone who knew Erickson or crossed paths with her during her time in Florida, New York, or Vermont to come forward. Of particular interest are individuals who worked at the Brattleboro Retreat or lived at the Community House in 1973, as well as colleagues from Tampa General Hospital and fellow students from Corning Community College.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit Tip Line at 800-525-5555, email coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov, or submit a tip online at www.doj.nh.gov/criminal/cold-case.