A woman dies as a result of arson In the early morning hours of Saturday, October 11, 1986, a fire erupted at a residence located at 314 Islington Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The blaze, which was reported at approximately 3:25 a.m., was later determined to have been deliberately set, turning a tragic event into a complex homicide investigation. Two residents, 24-year-old Terry Giles and 29-year-old Joseph Poulin, perished in the fire that day.
A third individual, a 39-year-old Caucasian female named Linda Plummer, was also present in the home and suffered extensive, life-threatening burns.
For months, Linda Plummer fought for her life. She was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital to receive specialized care for the severe injuries she sustained in the arson. Despite the efforts of medical staff, her condition remained critical. After more than five months of battling her injuries, Linda Plummer succumbed to the severe burns she received in the fire. She died on March 30, 1987, becoming the third fatality of the intentional blaze.
The deaths of Linda Plummer, Terry Giles, and Joseph Poulin are classified as unsolved homicides. Law enforcement agencies, including the New Hampshire Department of Justice, continue to list the case as open and seek information from the public to bring those responsible to justice. To date, no arrests have been made, and no specific suspects have been publicly named in connection with the arson. The case remains a painful cold case for the Portsmouth community, a stark reminder of a deadly fire that claimed three lives. The Portsmouth Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to the resolution of the case.
