New tip rekindles Somerset murder case long gone cold

A murder case that went cold decades ago is heating up, since the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office received new leads indicating more than one person may have been involved in the death of a 15-year-old Franklin Township girl.

The body of Sharon Thor was found 27 years ago yesterday, less than a quarter-mile from her home on John E. Busch Avenue, Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest said. She was last seen Oct. 26, 1982, when she dashed out of the house.

Crime Stoppers of Somerset County is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the those responsible. New information suggests that two men who were seen picking her up were in their late teens or early 20s and also lived in the Franklin area.

Thor's parents last saw her at about 5:30 p.m., minutes before she was supposed to leave for her ballet lesson, Forrest said. Thor answered the phone and appeared to be pleasantly surprised to hear from the caller, Forrest said. After hanging up, the teenager ran out of the house and said she would be right back.

A neighborhood youngster who was playing outside saw her enter the passenger side of a car, Forrest said. Three days later, her body was found in a wooded area that was maintained by a local utility company as a right of way, a location popular with local teens. She was killed the day she disappeared, Forrest said. An autopsy determined that blunt force trauma was the cause of death and she had been sexually assaulted, he said.

The theory that she knew her attackers was long considered. "It has always been believed by the various investigators over the years that that would obviously be one of the options since her parents observed her behavior before, during and after the conversation," Forrest said.

Thor was 15 when she disappeared, and her 16th birthday would have been Oct. 28, said her younger brother, Chris Thor.

The prosecutor's Major Crimes Squad, Franklin police and the FBI are investigating. Citizens are asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 577-TIPS (8477) or go online to www.888577tips.org and click "Give Tips" or www.scpo.net and click "Crime Stoppers."

Jennifer Golson may be reached at jgolson@starledger.com.