Episode 61: The Murder of Theresa Duran
Theresa’s mother, Irene, visiting her gravesite.
Theresa May Duran was born on October 21st, 1969 in Westbrook, Maine to parents Irene and Donald Duran Sr. In 1984, Theresa was 14-years-old and about to enter her freshman year of high school. She was known to be very well liked, had many friends, and excelled in her studies. She was not only smart, but athletic too- she was an active member of both soccer and softball teams. Ultimately, she loved animals and had serious ambitions to become a veterinary assistant one day.
On July 27th, 1984, Theresa left her parents house in Gorham, Maine, with plans to spend the weekend at a girlfriend’s house. She was expected to return that Sunday night, the 29th, and when she didn’t come home her parents became frantic. This was absolutely not like Theresa- she was reliable and would never lie about such a thing.
Irene and Don Sr. reported their teenage daughter missing and proceeded to scan the town in hopes of finding her. They checked all her local hangout spots, as well as every road and alley in the town. They were unsuccessful in their search until a little over a month later, when there was a horrifying development in the case. A young couple and their dog had come upon a decomposing body while out on a walk on Plummer Road, not too far from the Duran household. Unfortunately, the body was Theresa.
Two years after the murder, Theresa’s boyfriend at the time, Scott Doucette, and his friend, Mark Parker, were arrested for her murder. Mark Parker was put on trial, and ultimately found guilty of murder. Not a year later, he was acquitted of the charge under the grounds that he confessed to having Doucette share with him that he had killed Theresa. In the end, Doucette wasn’t charged with her murder either, as there was insufficient evidence. To this day, Theresa’s murder remains unsolved.
Anyone with any information about the murder of Theresa Duran is asked to please contact the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit at 207-624-7076.
Image Sources:
facebook.com - “Maine State Police”
pressherald.com - “Who Killed Theresa May Duran?”