On Monday afternoon, October 6, 1974, 15-year-old Lisa Thomas returned home from school to her family’s house in Nanuet, New York, at about 2:15 p.m. She spent some time helping her mother, Barbara Thomas, hang new curtains in their kitchen. While helping, Lisa mentioned a blouse she had recently seen at Bamberger’s, a department store located at the nearby Nanuet Mall, just one block away.
At around 3:30 p.m., Lisa asked her mother if she wanted to walk with her to the mall so she could buy the blouse. Barbara declined because she was busy preparing dinner. Since the mall was very close and in a familiar neighborhood, Lisa decided to go alone.
That short walk would be the last time she was seen alive.
When Lisa did not return home, her family became concerned and contacted the police. A search was launched. Later, her body was discovered about 75 yards from the mall’s parking lot, hidden in tall grass and trees. The location suggested she had been taken or lured away very close to where she had intended to shop.
Police investigated the case extensively. They interviewed witnesses, examined the area around the mall, and followed up on numerous leads. However, no one was ever arrested, and no suspect was officially identified. Over the years, theories have included the possibility of a stranger abduction, but there has never been enough evidence to confirm exactly what happened or who was responsible.
Lisa’s murder deeply shocked the Nanuet community. At the time, the area was considered safe, and her death changed how families thought about children walking alone—even short distances in daylight. The case remains unsolved, and Lisa Thomas’s name is still remembered as part of New York’s cold-case history.
Despite the passage of decades, her family and investigators have never stopped hoping that new information might one day bring answers and justice.
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