A couple is found stabbed to death in their burned out home The unsolved murder of 68-year-old Stella Bolton, along with her longtime friend James 'JJ' Moore, remains one of Portsmouth, New Hampshire's most baffling cold cases. On February 16, 1991, a fire broke out at their home on Rockhill Avenue, which firefighters were called to contain early that morning. However, the blaze revealed a more disturbing scene: both Bolton and Moore were found dead inside, not from the fire, but from multiple stab wounds.
Authorities later determined that the fire had been deliberately set in an attempt to cover up the murders.
Stella, originally from Trinidad, was well-known in her community as a kind, grandmotherly figure who enjoyed playing Bingo and baking for local children. JJ Moore, a retired Navy veteran, was equally beloved, often seen sitting on his porch greeting neighbors. Despite their quiet lives, their brutal deaths stunned the community, and police have struggled to uncover clear leads in the case. A bloodied knife, believed to be the murder weapon, was found near the crime scene by a local boy, but no one has been arrested or charged for the crime. Investigators have long believed that someone in the local community may hold the key to solving the case, but fear or misplaced loyalty may have prevented witnesses from coming forward.
Decades later, the case remains open, with authorities continuing to seek new information that could bring justice for Stella and JJ.
